UK food self-sufficiency has declined to 62%, with a heavy reliance on imported food from regions that can be vulnerable to drought, fire and flood. Scottish Islands, once able to survive for weeks without a boat, are today at the end of the distribution line and need to rebuild food security.

This funded project, inspired by the story of an 1845 Icelandic eruption, which coated Orkney with volcanic dust, resulting in the improved flavour of that year’s potato crop, aims to explore whether locally sourced rock dust—currently a large, unused quarry by‑product—can enhance crop flavour and support greater community food resilience.

Building on small-scale trials with potatoes in 2023, tomatoes in 2024, and carrots in 2025, the next phase, supported by this award, will see potatoes grown by local community groups, including the Westray Development Trust, the North Ronaldsay Trust, Stromness Community Garden, the Eday Partnership, NHS Orkney, and St Colm’s Day Centre. The crops grown with the Orkney quarry dust will be compared against control soils. Soil microbiome analysis by Durham University will investigate how rock dust supports soil health, and taste testing will be conducted at the Orkney International Science Festival.