Tha bliadhna thrang air thoiseach a-thaobh poileasaidh àiteachais, le Murray MacLeòid

Leis cho caochlaideach ‘s a tha cùisean air a bhith bho chionn ghoirid, ‘s dòcha g’ eil e beagan cunnartach breithneachadh air na tha fa-near sa bhliadhna air thoiseach, ach tha aon rud ann co-dhiù, tha fhios, a bhios gu math bunaiteach a thaobh an àm ri teachd.

Chan eileas idir ag aithneachadh cho cudromach ‘s tha na tuathanaich beinne is croitearan

[English-language version below]

Sna mìosan air thoiseach, beachdaichidh buill Pàrlamaid Albannach agus comataidhean Pàrlamaid na h-Alba air dè an dòigh as fheàrr air £800 millean sa bhliadhna a roinn a-mach do chroitearan is tuathanaich.

Gu seo, mar a tha e, tha Bile an Àiteachais air a bhith na thàmailt.

‘S docha g’ eil adhbharan ann carson nach eil molaidhean mionaideach ri fhaihinn fhathast, ach tha e a’ cruthachadh an fhaireachdainn làidir nach eil fhios aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba – no co-dhiù na comhairlichean is na h-oifigearan aca – ciamar a gheibh iad air cùisean na h-àrainneachd is àrach-bidhe a thoirt le chèile gu dòigheil ann an aon phoileasaidh grìnn ris an urrainnear gabhail.

Le sin, tha an aire a’ tionndadh gu na buill Pàrlamaid airson feuchainn ri ciall a dhèanamh dheth agus gluaisidh cùisean air a sin sna mìosan air thòiseach.

Bho thaobh poileataigs dheth, ‘s dòcha g’ eil e math g’ eil cùisean cho fosgailte. Tha a’ ciallachadh g’ eil cothrom na Fèinne aig a h-uile duine a thaobh dearbhadh dè a-nis an t-slighe air adhart agus tha e a’ ciallachadh nach fheum buill an SNP a bhith buileach cho dìleas le leantainn nam maistearan aca, uill an-dràsta co-dhiù.

Ged a tha a’ mhòr-chuid de dh’Alba a’ fuireach eadar Glaschu is Dùn Èideann, ‘s e dùthaich dhùthchail a th’ innte an dèidh sin, dìreach beagan nas lugha na na nàbaidhean aig deas a thaobh meud, ach le nas lugha na deich sa cheud a thaobh sluaigh.

Le sin, tha cor nan sgìrean dùthchail cudromach, ann an iomadach seagh.

Tha gach taobh de ghnìomhachas an àiteachais, bhon chroitear bheag suas chun a’ ghnìomhachais-bidhe as motha air an taobh an ear, a’ gabhail ris gum feumar barrachd a dhèanamh a thaobh na h-àrainneachd. Cha tig duine às àicheadh sin.

Ach, aig an aon àm, feumar dèanamh cinnteach gun tig àrach bidhe a dhìon, bhon ma thig droch bhuaidh a thoirt air a sin, chan obraich e; fiù ‘s bho thaobh na h-àrainneachd, bhon a bhiodh e dìreach a’ ciallachadh gum biodh sinn barrachd an urra ri biadh bho thall-thairis.

Mar a tha cùisean an-dràsta, tha a’ mhòr-chuid den taic a tha ri faighinn a’ dol gu na tuathanaich mhòra air an fhearann as fheàrr.

Ann an dòigh tha argamaid mhath airson sin; ‘s iad a tha a’ cumail biadh ris na bùthtan, ach chan eil e cothromach na tha iad a’ faighinn den mharaig.

Chan eil an taobh eile dhen ghnìomhachas – na tuathanaich beinne is croitearan – a’ faighinn ach beag an coimeas agus chan eileas idir ag aithneachadh cho cudromach ‘s tha iad sin ann an a bhith a’ coimhead às dèidh na h-àrainneachd prìseile a tha againn ann an Alba, agus a’ cumail taic ri coimhearsnachdan dùthchail, mòran aca nach biodh idir ann às an aonais.

Ann am poileasaidh ùr sam bith, bidh cuid ann a bhuannaicheas agus cuid a chailleas. Ach, ‘s e tòiseach-tòiseachadh glè mhath a bhiodh ann nan tigeadh gabhail ris a’ phrionnsabal gum feumar an ana-cheartas, ann an cò a tha a' faighinn dè agus carson, a chur ceart.

Bu chòir do na buill Pàrlamaid bho na sgìrean dùthchail iad fhèin ullachadh airson bliadhna thrang.

English-language version:

Given the uncertain nature of the times we live in, it may be straying onto thin ice to offer predictions for the year ahead, but in at least one aspect, crucial to Scotland’s future, it looks like being pivotal.

The next few months will define the management of the countryside as MSPs and a Scottish Parliament committee get their heads around how best to distribute around £800 million of support to farmers and crofters on an annual basis.

So far, the new Agriculture Bill, as it stands, has been a damp squib. There may be very good reasons why it’s so lacking in detail at this stage, but it gives the distinct impression that the Scottish Government, or least their advisers and civil servants, have no clear idea as to how to bring the two different strands of environmentalism and food production together in one coherent policy that will satisfy enough of those on the ground. So, the baton passes to MSPs to try and make sense of it all.

From a purely political expediency point of view, the lack of detail in the Bill may prove to be a blessing in disguise. It means it’s all to play for in determining a way ahead and the normal iron-whip discipline imposed on SNP members to toe the line on policy will not have to come into play, just yet anyway.

While much of Scotland’s population is concentrated on the Central Belt, it still remains a largely rural entity, with a land mass not that much smaller than its near neighbour down south but with less than ten per cent of its population. So, the future of the countryside is important, on all sorts of levels.

There is widespread recognition within all sectors of the agriculture industry, from the small crofter to the mega arable business, that more needs to be done in terms of the environment. That’s an absolute given.

But, equally, food production needs to be protected as any policy that will have a negative impact on that will simply prove counterproductive from an environmental point of view, as it will result in a greater reliance on shipping imports from elsewhere and from countries whose production ethics we cannot control.

At the moment, the vast majority of the support available goes to those on the better land; those who are able to support higher levels of production. While there are good arguments for that, in terms of feeding a nation, the balance is unfairly weighted in their favour.

The other strand of agriculture – those who try and manage poor land across vast areas, the hill farmers and crofters – is not sufficiently supported and scant regard is given to the vital role they play in managing the landscape and environment and in supporting rural communities, many of whom would not be viable without their input.

In any new policy shift, there will be winners and losers, but starting out on the principle that there needs to be a little bit of redress in terms of fairness of distribution would be a good starting point. Rural MSPs should be bracing themselves for a busy year ahead.