Collecting reliable data on Scotland's agricultural tenancy landscape is essential for effective policymaking. Following the removal of tenancy questions from the June Agricultural Census after 2021, the Scottish Government sought to explore how tenancy data collection could be improved to support evidence-based decision-making and long-term planning for the sector. 

Alma Economics was commissioned by the Scottish Government, in partnership with the James Hutton Institute, to explore viable approaches for redesigning agricultural tenancy questions for potential future use.  

The research combined a literature review of factors influencing survey response rates and an assessment of international agricultural tenancy practices, with ten scoping interviews with sector experts to explore data quality issues and potential improvements. 

A long list of redesigned tenancy questions was then developed, reviewed in three stakeholder workshops, and subsequently tested with farmers and land managers through interviews and a survey of 15 respondents. 

We produced a final set of potential tenancy question sets alongside a series of wider recommendations for implementation. These included the importance of clearly defining the purpose of data collection, building respondent trust through transparent communication, providing adequate support for respondents navigating complex tenancy arrangements, and strengthening stakeholder engagement to improve participation and data credibility.

Read the report here