The South of Scotland Local Food Growth Plan draws together work by key stakeholders over several years from across both regions, to support local producers, businesses and supply chains.
The Plan offers a raft of key actions across local production, infrastructure, marketing, collaboration and policy. The Plan is a call to action to those working in the food and drink sector to work together to enable a resilient local food economy.
The Local Food Growth Plan was led by Propagate, with support from Abundant Borders and JR Consulting. It was funded by Sustain and the Rothschild Foundation as part of the National Local Food Plan.
Covering Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders, the Plan responds directly to input from small-scale growers, producers, retailers, and food businesses. It outlines clear strategies across five key areas: local food production, supply chain support, marketing, collaboration, and policy. These are designed to help more people grow, sell, and access sustainable local food.
Key recommendations include improving access to land and funding for new growers, developing shared distribution hubs, increasing visibility of local food, and reducing barriers to essential infrastructure such as polytunnels and mobile abattoirs. The Plan also supports education, public procurement reform, and better coordination across the sector.
This work contributes to the wider UK Local Food Growth Plan and offers a place-based model that can inform regional implementation of the Good Food Nation Act. It is a living document that encourages ongoing input and action from anyone involved in building a fairer, greener food system.
You can download a copy of the report, HERE
