Local food growing projects have the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by reducing food transport distances, waste, packaging and meat consumption. They also have the potential to trigger associated behaviour change such as household composting and to deliver social, financial and health benefits.
The Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) provides funding for community groups that are tackling climate change through community-led local food growing projects. This study is intended to inform the evaluation and selection of such projects by the Scottish Government in the future.
To inform the evaluation of local food growing projects, it is essential to understand their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This report quantifies the optimum greenhouse gas savings that may be achieved through good practice by analysing CCF funded projects and wider literature.
Based on this review, the report also provides best practice guidance for achieving optimum greenhouse gas abatement and improving the wider impacts of projects within the community.
This guidance will be used by the Scottish Government, Keep Scotland Beautiful, community groups, and the Climate Challenge Fund Grants Panel to improve the outcomes of CCF funded local food growing projects.