Webinar: Building capacity for net zero literacy in farming and rural communities

Organised by the LUNZ Hub Enabling transition to net zero Topic Advisory Group.

Date & Time: 4 November 2025, 14:00–15:30

Registration: please register here

Transition to land use net zero requires a transformation in the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System.  Land managers (farmers, advisers, and support services) and rural businesses are facing new demands when engaging the net zero transition. This requires building and fostering knowledge capabilities and networks in net zero literacy. Here literacy refers to the wide range of skills and competencies that individuals and groups need to be able to access, comprehend, evaluate, and use information, to make informed and empowered choices.  It incorporates existing and embedded knowledges.

In this webinar three expert speakers will reflect on their own experiences in capacity building for net zero literacy, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.

This webinar is for all land use stakeholders interested in the topic of enabling transition to net zero in land use.

The speakers are:

• Brady Stevens and Sarah Erbanova, Consultants, Food & Footprint Team, SAC Consulting, Part of SRUC
• Rachael Madeley-Davies, Head of Environment (Technical), AHDB
• Dr Julie Finch, Agriculture Governance & Compliance Manager, Kepak

Topics of discussion will include the following:

Experience of delivering Carbon Literacy Training for Rural Industries and our wider involvement in Scotland’s Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS)

Brady Stevens and Sarah Erbanova, Consultants, Food & Footprint Team, SAC Consulting, Part of SRUC

In this session, we will introduce SRUC and SAC Consulting and highlight our work in building net zero literacy across farming and rural communities. We will reflect on our experience delivering Carbon Literacy Training for Rural Industries and share key insights from a recent project examining Scotland’s Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), which had a focus on the skills needed for nature- and climate-friendly farming. The session will also explore our partnership with Agrecalc, demonstrating how data-driven tools support decision-making for farmers and stakeholders throughout the supply chain. Finally, we will look ahead to the sector’s evolving needs, considering how future literacy and skills development will underpin Scotland’s transition to net zero.

A Farmer’s perspective

Rachael Madeley-Davies, Head of Environment (Technical), AHDB

In this session, Rachael will cover the following topics:

• Getting the language of carbon right
• Carbon myth busting for farmers 
• ‘What’s in it for me’ – translating data and actions into meaningful farmer-focused outcomes

Building Net Zero Literacy across Supply chains

Dr Julie Finch, Agriculture Governance & Compliance Manager, Kepak

Julie will share her experience of Net Zero Literacy across red meat supply chains,  sharing a processor perspective on the challenges in achieving / reporting change at scale and opportunities to enhance capacity and uptake.

We look forward to your participation and an engaging discussion.