Has digital investment made it simpler for Scottish farmers?

The figures do not relate to one single farm subsidy platform. The Scottish Government confirmed that the Agriculture and Rural Economy directorate operates a collection of systems supporting payment processing, regulatory functions, data management and wider rural services.

From rural payments to mapping and compliance, Scottish farmers now rely heavily on online systems (Image: Charles Sainsbury-Plaice)

These systems cover areas including Rural Payments and Services, land parcel and mapping information, inspections, livestock identification and traceability, plant and bee health, Scottish Forestry functions and wider estate management.

FOI figures show that, excluding Scottish Government staffing and SASA costs, spending on these systems has totalled more than £200 million since 2016/17. Annual expenditure has ranged from around £16 million to almost £34 million, reaching a peak of £33.8 million in 2017/18. The spending covers digital systems, development, maintenance and related services rather than a single IT platform.

The figures highlight the scale of infrastructure required to administer Scotland’s agricultural support system, but the question for farmers is whether that investment has delivered a simpler and more efficient service.

The Scottish Government says digital systems have improved payment performance and support vital regulatory functions (Image: Getty Images)

Systems provide valuable tools but challenges remain

Craig Bothwell, senior agricultural consultant at SAC Consulting, said farmers often rely on advisers because they use the systems regularly and understand how to navigate them.

“Farmers often come to us because we are very familiar with the Scottish Government systems,” he said. “There are some who do odd pieces of work themselves, but for many we manage their correspondence with RPS. We have the benefit of working with the systems every day so we know our way around them.”

Bothwell said the Rural Payments and Services mapping system provides valuable functionality but can present challenges for new users.

“The mapping system is very in‑depth and great for consultants, but using it for the first time can be a challenge – especially if you don’t have a background in mapping – though there are lots of training videos available,” he said.

He said system performance was generally good, although busy periods around major application deadlines could create difficulties.

“The complexity of any system is always a balancing act – in this case, the choice between the usefulness of the ability to do land maintenance forms electronically versus a simple viewer of land parcels,” he said.

For many farmers, the issue is not whether digital systems exist, but whether they reduce the administrative workload they were introduced to address.

More portals, more questions

New online portals for schemes including Preparing for Sustainable Farming and the Future Farming Investment Scheme have been introduced alongside the established Rural Payments and Services platform.

Bothwell said the newer systems generally work well, but suggested bringing more applications together could improve the experience for users.

“Our clients cover all age ranges, farm types and abilities,” he said. “For those who are not familiar with computer systems, they rely on us to do much of their correspondence with Scottish Government. However, there will be many in the industry who manage with no assistance. Local SGRPID offices will also help with similar tasks.”

He added: “There is sometimes confusion with different links for new grants compared to the link we use for BPS.”

Bothwell also highlighted practical issues with mapping information.

“Currently they are downloaded in two documents with the map of a farm split over many pages, making it more difficult to follow,” he said.

Wider challenge across agriculture

The difficulties around government digital systems reflect a wider challenge across agriculture: connecting the software farmers use to run their businesses with the platforms they are required to use for compliance and support.

Jez Pile, director of business development, agribusiness at TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods, said the issue exists internationally.

“The issues you highlight exist globally,” he said. “There is a disconnect between the software farmers use to run their business day to day and the platforms they’re required to use to apply for schemes or manage compliance. That disconnect means the same information often has to be entered more than once, in more than one place.”

Pile said improved integration could help reduce unnecessary administration.

“Allowing information to move seamlessly between on‑farm software and government systems, with a farmer’s permission, would be a great place to start,” he said.

Scottish Government response

The Scottish Government said the systems supported by the Agriculture and Rural Economy directorate provide services beyond agricultural payments alone, including inspections, legal compliance, traceability and wider government functions.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Payment performance has improved significantly in recent years, and we now pay farmers and crofters as quickly as, or more quickly than, ever before.

"These systems are not just serving agricultural businesses but are also used by other executive agencies and non‑departmental public bodies to administer and make accurate payments, carry out effective inspections, ensure legal compliance and provide support for core and business‑critical corporate functions beyond farmer support.”

The spokesperson said future agricultural reform would include improvements to digital services.

“We are reforming our support for farmers and crofters, so that we can continue to back quality food production while doing more for climate and nature. As part of this, we want to improve our IT and systems to better meet the needs of farmers and crofters.

“These changes will be designed with input from industry partners to help deliver value for money and make sure they work for Scotland’s agricultural businesses.”

The response highlights the wider role of the systems and the importance of accurate payments and compliance, but the experience of farmers and advisers will remain a key measure of whether future improvements deliver a simpler service.

As Scotland prepares to reform agricultural support, the next test will be whether further digital investment produces not only stronger systems for government administration, but a more straightforward experience for the farmers and crofters who rely on them.