Rural Payments and Services

Ministers have confirmed the 2026 round of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) will open for applications in early 2026, to support land managers to begin considering an application in advance. Detail on the offer of the round will be confirmed later this year and communicated via our usual channels.

The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) was launched in 2015 to promote land management practices which protect and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change.

To date a total of £339 million has been committed to 3,417 businesses through the scheme to fund a range of activities that help to maintain and enhance our rich and varied natural environment. Additionally, the Agri-Environment budget for both 2024-25 and 2025-26 has been set at a level that enabled all applications recommended for funding to be approved, representing a record approval rate for the scheme.

In this interim period, it is crucial that farmers, crofters and land managers continue to undertake actions on their holdings to restore nature and mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change. This announcement reaffirms the Scottish Government’s commitment to AECS, and to providing Scotland’s land managers with the certainty to continue exploring the support the scheme offers, such as towards the conversion and maintenance of organic farming practices.