0:00:04 > 0:00:08Hello and a very warm welcome to one of the best views in Scotland,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10and it'll be even better when it's finished.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12This is the new Forth Crossing.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Hello and a very warm welcome to Landward.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35If you don't have a head for heights,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I suggest you don't look down
0:00:37 > 0:00:41because I'm currently more than 600 feet above the River Forth.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Pretty soon, I'll be heading over there to Edinburgh to eat a meal
0:00:44 > 0:00:47made from food destined for the bin. Can't wait(!)
0:00:47 > 0:00:50But first, here's what's coming up on Landward's menu.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Sarah meets the young couple trying to establish themselves
0:00:55 > 0:00:57as working crofters.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58Well done, Maddy.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Oh! This one's massive!
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Euan investigates the ongoing controversy
0:01:04 > 0:01:06over genetically-modified food.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09And I complete my motorbiking journey
0:01:09 > 0:01:11around the north of Scotland,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14with a blast along Loch Maree.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17In years gone by, people were buried on islands
0:01:17 > 0:01:20to make sure that the wolves didn't get anywhere near the graves.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Every year, around a third of the food we grow in the world
0:01:28 > 0:01:30doesn't make it onto our plates.
0:01:30 > 0:01:35That's about 1.3 billion tonnes of waste - a staggering amount.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39In Scotland, our farmers work all year round to produce food
0:01:39 > 0:01:43and it's in no-one's interests to see so much of it going to waste.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45I've been to meet a woman who is doing her bit
0:01:45 > 0:01:47in the battle against food waste.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52This is Donna McArdle. She's preparing to head out
0:01:52 > 0:01:55into Edinburgh on a foraging trip with a difference,
0:01:55 > 0:01:56and I'm joining her.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01- Hi, there, Donna.- Hello.- Hi, nice to see you.- How are you doing?
0:02:01 > 0:02:04I'm very well. So, what are we actually going to do today?
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Well, we're actually off to intercept some food.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08- Intercept some food?- Yes. - What does that mean exactly?
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Well, basically we're going to go and pick up some food
0:02:11 > 0:02:14that would've otherwise gone in the bin or gone to landfill
0:02:14 > 0:02:18from two suppliers up in Morningside and Bruntsfield.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20- Sounds great. Shall we go?- OK.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Donna is one of the directors of
0:02:24 > 0:02:27the Edinburgh Real Junk Food Project.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Tonight, with the help of enthusiastic volunteers,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34the food we collect today, along with other previously-rescued food,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38will be cooked up and served in a special pop-up restaurant.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41The original Junk Food Project was started in Leeds
0:02:41 > 0:02:44and now the model has spread around the world.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48Nice! Oh, that fruit looks like it might be heading for a crumble.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Hello! How are you doing?
0:02:50 > 0:02:51Yeah, good, thanks, and you?
0:02:51 > 0:02:52Excellent. Mike, this is Dougie.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55- Hello, there. Nice to see you.- How are you doing?- Very well, thank you.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57So, what have you got for us?
0:02:57 > 0:03:00- Is that rude?- No. It's fine. I'm much ruder normally.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01HE LAUGHS
0:03:01 > 0:03:03So, we've all this for you. It's...
0:03:03 > 0:03:07There's loads of slightly-soft big tomatoes, that...
0:03:07 > 0:03:10'All this fruit and veg is perfectly edible
0:03:10 > 0:03:12'but it's rejected by shoppers
0:03:12 > 0:03:14'because it's slightly wonky or a little soft.'
0:03:15 > 0:03:19- Thank you very much.- My pleasure. - Cheers, Mike. Thank you, as always.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Thank you. See you later.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27- So, how many people are you feeding tonight?- About possibly 60.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- We'd better get a shift on.- Aye!
0:03:36 > 0:03:39'Next stop is Fruit-A-Licious in Morningside.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42- 'Owner Jamil Ibrahim...' - Hello, how are you doing?
0:03:42 > 0:03:45'..is happy to donate produce he can't sell.'
0:03:45 > 0:03:48I'm just glad somebody could use it, rather than throwing it out.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51There's...stuff that sometimes gets damaged by a customer,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53but it's not all bad.
0:03:53 > 0:03:54So...
0:03:54 > 0:03:57It's better someone using it than throwing it out.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Oh, fantastic. Excellent...
0:03:59 > 0:04:02'Jamil gives us a couple of boxes of produce to take back
0:04:02 > 0:04:03to the kitchen...
0:04:09 > 0:04:11'..where the volunteers have already made a start
0:04:11 > 0:04:13'and it's time for me to get stuck in, too.'
0:04:16 > 0:04:17Time to get cooking.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29It's estimated that an average household in Scotland
0:04:29 > 0:04:34throws away £470 worth of food every year.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Part of the project's mission is to show its customers what can be
0:04:38 > 0:04:41achieved with food that was otherwise rejected.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47We do them not to make money and not to say that we're going to
0:04:47 > 0:04:50rescue all the food waste in Edinburgh.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52- We actually do it to highlight food waste, generally.- Uh-huh.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56So, you know, we bring that to the attention of everybody that
0:04:56 > 0:04:58- comes to eat or to volunteer. - Uh-huh.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01And it makes them more mindful, as well.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05FIDDLE AND GUITAR PLAYS
0:05:05 > 0:05:08This evening is just an occasional pop-up event.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09The musicians have arrived
0:05:09 > 0:05:13and the cafe is buzzing with hungry customers.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14I'm kept busy waiting,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and folk seem to be enjoying what we're serving up.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20- It was really delicious, thanks. - Thank you, I'll pass it on.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22A three-course meal is on offer tonight,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24including two choices of soup to start,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26stuffed marrow and, of course,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28my beautifully-chopped salad.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Diners are only asked to pay what they feel the meal is worth
0:05:31 > 0:05:34and there are other attractions, too.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37I came to this thing quite a few times around the festival
0:05:37 > 0:05:39and just loved it, cos...
0:05:39 > 0:05:41the food's really great and people are lovely,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43always start chatting to interesting folk.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46I really like the communal style of tables
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and obviously, the initiative itself of intercepting food and stuff.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51So, yeah, I just love it.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55I think food waste is a complete tragedy.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Considering the problems in food poverty that we face,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and the environmental impact of growing food,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05I think it's completely inadmissible to throw food away.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08I've noticed you're not eating your salad.
0:06:08 > 0:06:09Yeah, I'm a salad dodger.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Yeah, well, I made that salad, OK? So...
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I'm taking that as a personal slight.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15I'll have to give it a try now.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20GENERAL BUZZ OF CROWD
0:06:24 > 0:06:26You know, food waste around the world
0:06:26 > 0:06:27and in Scotland is a huge problem,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29and throwing something like this away
0:06:29 > 0:06:32simply because it doesn't look right
0:06:32 > 0:06:34is a daft thing to do. The work that the Junk Food Cafe
0:06:34 > 0:06:38and other projects like it are doing are addressing that problem,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42maybe making us think very seriously about putting this in the bin.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44And that's got to be a good thing.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46SHEEP BLEATING
0:06:46 > 0:06:49One traditional way of life where nothing would ever go to waste
0:06:49 > 0:06:54is crofting. Today, the majority of crofters are over 50 years of age
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and the government is keen to encourage young people
0:06:56 > 0:06:58into this way of life.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Sarah went to Rogart in Sutherland, to meet the crofter
0:07:01 > 0:07:04having to learn her trade from scratch.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Come on, chicks! Chi-chi-chi-chi-chicks!
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Maddy Norval, at only 25,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23is less than half the age of the average crofter,
0:07:23 > 0:07:28but she's not only a young crofter, she is also new to crofting.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Just over a year ago, Maddy and her partner, Rob,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36bought Tigh Na Noone Croft.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Our boundary's that crag...
0:07:43 > 0:07:48Maddy is giving me the grand tour of the 65-acre croft.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50What made you want to become a crofter?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Well, we had this dream of a self-sufficient lifestyle
0:07:53 > 0:07:57where we could grow our own food and live off it
0:07:57 > 0:08:03and that was what inspired us to try and start this mad enterprise!
0:08:03 > 0:08:04SHE LAUGHS
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Then, eventually, when we found this piece of ground,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10it had this word "croft" associated with it
0:08:10 > 0:08:13so we had to start doing all our research into what a croft was
0:08:13 > 0:08:16and found that it matched the lifestyle perfectly,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18the self-sufficient lifestyle that we wanted.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20It ticked all of the boxes and we were like, "Crofting!"
0:08:20 > 0:08:24That's what it was that we wanted to do, crofting. We became crofters.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- Here you are with your own croft.- Yep.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43So, why did you choose to become a crofter and not, say,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45a small-scale farmer?
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Erm...this piece of land is a croft.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49It's a legal definition.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53It's actually part of the crofting law that this is a croft,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57so I couldn't just call myself a farmer or a smallholder.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59- So, you are officially a crofter? - Officially, a crofter.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02There isn't a handbook, How To Be a Crofter,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05so the young couple have had to learn on the ground.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Robin Calvert has been a crofter for nearly 30 years.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11His croft is a few miles away
0:09:11 > 0:09:15and he is a regular support for the newbie crofters.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- Hello.- Hi.- How are you doing? - Crofter to the rescue.- Thanks.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Starry had her calf, Oonagh, just a few weeks ago
0:09:21 > 0:09:24and Robin has been called in for advice,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26as Maddy thinks the new mum may have mastitis.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31- Have you tried milking the quarters out?- Tried milking the back ones out
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- a little bit.- Just see if you can get a squirt out of everything.- OK.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36There's milk there, so there's no problem there.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40- Which quarter are you worried about? - This one.- A lot of milk in there.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Let's try the other two before we go any further. Any milk there?
0:09:44 > 0:09:46I think I'm just getting a little bit.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48- There we go.- Yes, that's fine.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52With no sign of infection, Maddy is reassured by her crofting mentor.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55You've come to Maddy's rescue somewhat,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58because Maddy was unsure of what was going on.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01How much do you enjoy, I suppose, sharing your expertise
0:10:01 > 0:10:03and knowledge with a new crofter like this?
0:10:03 > 0:10:06If you can help anybody, that's what crofting's all about.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09That's what crofting's entirely about is helping each other,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12cos if we didn't help each other, you'd never get anywhere.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15What do you think about this, sort of, new way of crofters
0:10:15 > 0:10:18like Maddy and Robert, coming in from outside the industry?
0:10:18 > 0:10:20It's got to be a very good thing.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Unless you get new entrants coming in with new ideas,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25then crofting itself's going to die out.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27It's hard enough to make it work at all,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30particularly the old traditional methods
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and to be seeing something like these new Shetland cattle coming in,
0:10:33 > 0:10:37which are sort of breaking the mould a bit to what most people keep,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39it's possibly a good way forward.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43So, what have been the biggest challenges you've encountered?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47We had a real disaster with a cow and a calf last year.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49- I remember that.- Yeah.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53The cow gave birth, but the calf didn't get up within the first 14...
0:10:53 > 0:10:5624 hours actually, before it actually got up
0:10:56 > 0:11:00and it was a freezing cold night and when it did eventually get up, it
0:11:00 > 0:11:06just wouldn't suck, so Rob lent us a calf bottle and we went to the vet's
0:11:06 > 0:11:10and got colostrum and things, but the calf just didn't pull through.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13- So, things have gone wrong?- Yeah.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Heartbreakingly wrong, cos we actually ended up losing
0:11:15 > 0:11:20the cow, as well. She just started going downhill after that
0:11:20 > 0:11:22and the vets couldn't work out what was wrong with her.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24We had three different vets on,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27trying to find out what it was that was wrong with her.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29And I suppose, from a crofting point of view,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32when you've got a small herd and a limited amount of land,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36- losing a cow and a calf is pretty big.- Absolutely, yes.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Yes, the impact and as you can see,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42you get a lot closer to your cows, when you've only got a few.
0:11:42 > 0:11:43You get to know them a lot better.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47They become part of the family, really.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Today, Maddy and Rob are selecting the lambs that are ready to
0:11:51 > 0:11:52go to Dingwall.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56In the crofting tradition, they have called in another neighbour to help.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Once they have the lambs penned,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18it's time to choose the lambs for the slaughter.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22I'll go for this.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24The big one, there?
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Well done, Maddy.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32- Oh, this one's massive!- Is this the first time you've sent lambs away?
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Yeah. This is the first batch we've sent away from this year's lambs.
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Um...
0:12:37 > 0:12:41It's really weird, because we've like helped them grow up from tiny
0:12:41 > 0:12:45wee cute lambs and now, here they are, these hulking great big boys.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48How do you feel about sending them to slaughter?
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Kind of mixed. Like... It's cute wee lambs
0:12:51 > 0:12:55and we put everything we have into raising them.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58I'm just so excited to eat them.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02It sounds ghoulish, but I think they're just going to be delicious.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03- Needs must.- Exactly.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- Right, next one.- All right. - I'm not even out of breath.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23That's it.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24Can you get that branch?
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- There we go. Have you got all the papers? The documents.- Yeah.- Cool.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- OK.- See you, Rob. Cheers. So, final thoughts?- Just...
0:13:33 > 0:13:37It's weird seeing them going off, but it's really exciting,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40because it's our first big step towards proper self-sufficiency.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Your dream is to be self-sufficient.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44So, how close are you to achieving that dream?
0:13:44 > 0:13:46We're actually quite a way off, really.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48In reality, we haven't got the polytunnel up,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51we still don't have a shed or utilities or anything,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53but at least we're sending away our first-year lambs.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57- So, small steps.- Small steps towards big gains.- Give them a wave.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Crofting is not an easy option, by any means. It's a tough way of life.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Whether you inherit the family croft or you're new to the community,
0:14:14 > 0:14:19like Maddy and Rob, young people are vital to secure its future.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30And we wish Maddy well, as she gets to grips with crofting life.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34If you hear of anyone doing anything remarkable in the Scottish
0:14:34 > 0:14:36countryside, we want to hear from you.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40Get in touch via our Facebook page or e-mail landward@bbc.co.uk
0:14:43 > 0:14:47As we travel about Scotland, we like to stop and ask the folk
0:14:47 > 0:14:50we meet on the street what they love about the local area.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54Today, I'm in right royal South Queensferry.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00What makes it so special to the people here?
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Got a long and varied history.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Most of what happened in Scotland probably happened in a smaller
0:15:06 > 0:15:07version here.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11We've had covenanters, smugglers... You name it, we've had it.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14The cobbled streets, the painted houses that we all look after
0:15:14 > 0:15:17so well. You feel like you're on your holidays every day
0:15:17 > 0:15:21you walk down the high street. It's great.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25My thing is always just to come and look at the bridges. It's just...
0:15:25 > 0:15:26It's spectacular.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Go down the beach and throw some pebbles in.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Well, that was a world record, that one.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35All the way to Fife. Beautiful.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Well, there's a lovely island called Inchcolm,
0:15:40 > 0:15:44which we often sail out to. Inchcolm used to be a monastery.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48It's now owned by Historic Scotland and there's a beautiful church
0:15:48 > 0:15:51on Inchcolm that you can actually get married on.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53- Is that a proposal?- No.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- It's a great shame. - Yes, darling. I love you.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Well, on the first of January, a good time to have it,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03you get hundreds of people...
0:16:03 > 0:16:07I think we've probably now touched thousands - who march along the high
0:16:07 > 0:16:10street and then run into the icy waters of the Forth, which is
0:16:10 > 0:16:13- called the Loony Dook. - The Loony Dook.- The Loony Dook.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18I tried the Loony Dook once, but it left me with...
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Far too small to talk about, so...
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I have no intention of ever doing it again.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30The thing I love about South Queensferry is its location
0:16:30 > 0:16:32on the beautiful Firth of Forth,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35with its great wildlife and rich history.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Back in the 11th century, pilgrims crossed these
0:16:37 > 0:16:41waters on their way to Dunfermline and St Andrews.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44They travelled on a ferry paid for by Queen Margaret
0:16:44 > 0:16:46and that's how the town got its name.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Now, from the fun and frivolity on the Forth to one of the most
0:16:53 > 0:16:55controversial issues in food and farming.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59The debate around genetically-modified foods has raged
0:16:59 > 0:17:03for decades and is one of the most contentious issues in modern farming.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07So, when the Scottish government announced a ban of GM crops
0:17:07 > 0:17:10being grown here, there were strong reactions.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Euan has been finding out more.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20The finest Scottish whisky.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Produced using the finest Scottish grains.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Salmon, caught from the freshest water.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Healthy porridge oats, growing in popularity as a superfood.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43All with a worldwide reputation.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Exports of Scottish food and drink were worth over £5 billion
0:17:48 > 0:17:51last year and image is everything.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Many of these products were sold on the idea of being natural
0:17:55 > 0:17:57and high quality.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00But the Scottish government is concerned that clean, green
0:18:00 > 0:18:04brand could be damaged, if GM crops are grown here.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08So, they've taken advantage of new EU rules and they've banned them.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12But our world is changing.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Populations are growing, our climate is unpredictable
0:18:16 > 0:18:19and new pests and diseases are infecting our plants.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Scientists believe they should be allowed to exploit
0:18:25 > 0:18:28GM technology, to help tackle these issues.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33A genetically-modified plant is one which has had a gene either
0:18:33 > 0:18:38inserted or altered in the lab, often to increase hardiness,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42get more minerals, get more nutrients, or to improve yield.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Opponents of this technology call it "Frankenstein food".
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Supporters say it's perfectly safe
0:18:48 > 0:18:52and a great way to meet nutritional and environmental challenges.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57At the James Hutton Institute, on the outskirts
0:18:57 > 0:19:00of Dundee, Professor Robbie Waugh is showing me a potato
0:19:00 > 0:19:05which has been made healthier by the addition of a microalgae gene.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09So, Astaxanthin, the compound that these potatoes are making,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12has got a number of health claims around it.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16It's proposed that it is a very strong
0:19:16 > 0:19:18and potent anti-inflammatory,
0:19:18 > 0:19:24it provides increased brain health and cardiovascular health,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27and part of the reason it is it's a powerful antioxidant.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And you couldn't do that by natural selection.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32In this case, no.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35We couldn't do it, because the potato plant either here nor in the
0:19:35 > 0:19:38wild contains all of the genes that are required to make this compound.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42So, you have to use a genetic-manipulation approach.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45And the team have also been working on potatoes which have
0:19:45 > 0:19:49had their genes altered, to give better heat and drought resistance.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Now, the impact of that, I guess, is quite significant,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54if you consider that in the UK,
0:19:54 > 0:19:59about 60-70% of the irrigation of water is used in potato production.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01And as you know, with climate change,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03temperatures are increasing and drought is increasing
0:20:03 > 0:20:06throughout the growing season, so potentially, there could be
0:20:06 > 0:20:10a role in agriculture for this type of manipulation.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Many researchers believe the decision to ban GM crops
0:20:14 > 0:20:17was made on political, rather than scientific, grounds.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21But we're not alone in turning our backs on GM.
0:20:21 > 0:20:2420 other European nations, including France, Germany
0:20:24 > 0:20:26and Italy are doing the same.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31That means that traditional crossbreeding techniques
0:20:31 > 0:20:34will become even more important, as a tool to improve crops.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- Archie. Good morning.- Euan. How do you do?- How do you do?
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- There are your tatties? - Indeed. Yes.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- OK. So, what have we got here? - Athlete potato, which is...
0:20:42 > 0:20:46'Archie Gibson is the director of seed potato giant Agrico.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50'He's showing me a variety that's been bred for increased
0:20:50 > 0:20:51'resistance to blight.'
0:20:51 > 0:20:55So, how long would it take to develop one of these strains?
0:20:55 > 0:20:58It takes typically about ten years and then a further number
0:20:58 > 0:21:02of years - four or five - to bring a quantity to commercial availability.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04So, why not go down the GM route
0:21:04 > 0:21:07and then you'd have something like this ready for market within a year?
0:21:07 > 0:21:10The timeframes associated with developing
0:21:10 > 0:21:14a conventionally-bred potato and a GM one are more or less the same.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18With GM, the difficulty is that, when you mix genes,
0:21:18 > 0:21:19what you don't know is -
0:21:19 > 0:21:22is it going to knock out the gene that gives you the eating quality
0:21:22 > 0:21:25or the frying quality or the boiling quality
0:21:25 > 0:21:30or whatever it is in that particular new crossing?
0:21:30 > 0:21:33So, that all takes time and doesn't particularly gain any
0:21:33 > 0:21:37time advantage on conventional breeding techniques.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39You're chairman of the Scottish Food and Drink Federation.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43What are your colleagues saying about GM and how they feel about it?
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Well, they're all very commercial organisations, as you can imagine,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48whether you're doing soft drinks or haggis or food
0:21:48 > 0:21:51and, at the end of the day, it's about what the consumers want
0:21:51 > 0:21:55and the consumers at this present time in North Europe do not have
0:21:55 > 0:21:57an appetite for GMO products.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59It's hard to imagine a time
0:21:59 > 0:22:04when everybody will agree on GM foods. Balancing the concerns
0:22:04 > 0:22:07of consumers with increasing population
0:22:07 > 0:22:10and growing environmental pressures will be difficult.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13So, scientists in Scotland will continue to work
0:22:13 > 0:22:17on GM in the laboratories and in the greenhouses, but whether
0:22:17 > 0:22:21the fruits of their labour ever reach fields is questionable.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Scotland has some amazing roads and, in the summer months,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33they're choc-a-block with tourists from all over the world,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36taking in the stunning landscapes, vistas and views.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42This summer, we asked Landward viewers on Facebook to suggest
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Scotland's best roads - the ones you enjoy driving the most.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48And we were inundated with ideas.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56This week's route has been suggested by Alastair Muirhead
0:22:56 > 0:22:59and Frank Hendry, as I leave Gairloch and head
0:22:59 > 0:23:02all the way back to where my journey began, in Inverness.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07It's 70 miles east from coast to coast, through some
0:23:07 > 0:23:12of Scotland's most-spectacular scenery and just 20 miles
0:23:12 > 0:23:16into the journey is one of the most stunning vistas in all of Scotland.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20I've got to stop and soak it up, especially when the sun is out.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23When you come over the hill from Gairloch,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25you're treated to this incredible sight.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Slioch on the left there,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve over on the right
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and in the middle, the magnificent Loch Maree.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35I love it here.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40Back on the road, it's the first really beautiful day of my trip
0:23:40 > 0:23:43and I'm determined to make the most of it.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45Oh, yes. Very nice, indeed.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54But not everyone is happy taking the same leisurely pace.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01I have got an appointment, though.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04I'm meeting Eoghain Maclean, the ranger at the Beinn Eighe
0:24:04 > 0:24:07and Loch Maree National Nature Reserve.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09- Hi, how's it going?- Hello. - Good to see you. All right?
0:24:09 > 0:24:11- Lovely day, yeah? - Absolutely glorious day.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15'Loch Maree is the largest loch in the northwest Highlands.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18'And it's deep, too. Up to 110m.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23'The loch contains around 60 tiny islands - home to fragments of the
0:24:23 > 0:24:29'original Caledonian pine forest, some of the oldest trees
0:24:29 > 0:24:32'in Scotland. Eoghain's taking me out for a look.'
0:24:32 > 0:24:34This is Isle Maree.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37I think, in all honesty, the pine woodland is possibly
0:24:37 > 0:24:40one of the most natural bits of woodland in the UK.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44It hasn't been touched much by man for centuries.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48So, that's a big attraction, as far as Loch Maree's concerned.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50So, were these islands inhabited?
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Isle Maree has been inhabited since 800 AD.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00'Nobody lives here now, but the traces left are extraordinary.'
0:25:03 > 0:25:08It's quite strange. It was started by Queen Victoria as a wishing well.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10A wishing well, obviously filled in,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13and people started using the tree for putting their coins into.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14There are coins in there.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- And the trees eventually died from copper poisoning.- They do.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22I have to say that I wouldn't have expected to find a graveyard
0:25:22 > 0:25:26on an island this small, but there are so many graves around here.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28It is very interesting, in actual fact.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31The most recent ones are from a settlement on the north shore
0:25:31 > 0:25:33of Loch Maree.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37And in years gone by, people were buried on islands to make
0:25:37 > 0:25:40sure the wolves didn't get anywhere near the graves.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42How old are some of the gravestones here?
0:25:42 > 0:25:44These ones are...
0:25:44 > 0:25:48The most recent ones are 1800s.
0:25:48 > 0:25:56Some of the smaller ones are dating back to 1400, 1500.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58So, there are centuries of history here.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04Loch Maree is a beautiful, beautiful place and, in weather like this,
0:26:04 > 0:26:05I could stay all day.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10But I've got to get to Inverness, so it's time to leave Beinn Eighe
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and hit the road.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17The A832 takes me towards Achnasheen,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20with Loch Maree in the distance behind me.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25After around 350 miles of pretty windy roads,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28we're now heading towards Inverness
0:26:28 > 0:26:31and the 16-mile stretch between Achnasheen and Garve
0:26:31 > 0:26:35are some of the straightest roads in the country.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47It's just a hop, skip and jump now to Inverness
0:26:47 > 0:26:49and the end of my journey.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52It's a shame to be saying goodbye to the relatively-quiet roads
0:26:52 > 0:26:56of the Highlands and heading back into dual carriageways.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02It feels like I've travelled halfway round the world,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04but in reality,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07my summer tour of Scotland only took in 400 miles of some beautiful
0:27:07 > 0:27:10parts of the country, from the biblical rain at Berriedale
0:27:10 > 0:27:13to the wild vastness of Sutherland
0:27:13 > 0:27:15and the beauty and joy of Loch Maree.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18It's been a truly amazing, remarkable trip,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22and if you suggested one of the routes on Facebook, thanks so much.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27Now, that's only four journeys done. Scotland has so much more to offer.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29I reckon we should do this again.