The National Development Plan for Crofting.

The National Development Plan for Crofting (“the Plan”) highlights the core elements necessary to ensure that crofting remains at the heart of the rural and remote rural communities of Scotland, as well as delivering policy priorities for climate change mitigation and biodiversity.
The Plan identifies several areas of work (Chapters) and highlights actions for each of them. Chapter 1 - The Crofting Commission has a crucial role in the development of crofting, and will expand its current capacity, going beyond the delivery of regulatory functions to further enhance its role in crofting development activity, new Commission jobs will be created. The Commission will also continue to support existing committees and the establishment of new grazings committees and encourage partnership working between common grazings committees and landlords to facilitate diversification of the use of the grazings, including woodland creation and peatland restoration. Moreover the Commission will explore new ways to ensure that entry to crofting is more accessible, culture succession and turnover easier. The Scottish Government and the Commission will engage with, and actively encourage applications from, women, young people and minority groups, and Gaelic speakers, for the role of Commissioner and Assessor.
Chapter 2 - Crofting Register. Chapter 3 - Economic and Community Development where the focus is on Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and its collaboration with the Crofting Commission and others to increase the synergy between crofting development and the wider rural community development and economic resilience and to to encourage innovation and diversification, among others.
Chapter 4 - Skill Development. The Plan promotes skill development by endorsing the Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland and the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan; the Scottish Government also commits in continuing to improve Scotland’s digital skills base, and provide opportunities for under-represented groups, such as women. Chapter 5 - Local food networks and agri-tourism the Scottish Government will work with Scotland Food and Drink to connect crofters with the network of regional food groups and take actions aimed at developing the crofting food network. Chapter 6 - Land, Environment and Biodiversity the Scottish Government, makes several commitments. For instance it will ensure that environmental issues are considered for each investment under the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme; continue to support and encourage management practices that support biodiversity; take actions to continue supporting native pollinators and bees thrive; improve peatland management; create significant numbers of additional green jobs and forestry jobs; promote integrated management of crofting, grazing and forestry to increase woodland and facilitate traditional activities.
Chapter 7 - Additional carbon income for woodland and peatland restoration for crofters. Chapter 8 - Wildlife actions are mainly focused on protecting goose, sea eagles, lamb and deers. Chapter 8 - Housing has the aim to support those crofters and their families who would not otherwise be able to live in the remote and rural areas of Scotland, and work their croft; initiatives are focused on general housing aids and improving the energy efficiency. Chapter 9 - Signposting. The Government will create an online central signposting portal for crofters, crofting factsheets and flowcharts providing information and guidance on a range of subjects will be made available and other initiative will be taken to encourage crofting communities to continue to support one another through the sharing of knowledge, information and good practice. Chapter 11 - Scotland's Farm Advisory Service will continue evolving to respond to changing needs. Chapter 12 - Broadband infrastructure. Chapter 12 - Crofting legislation. The Government commits in taking actions to modernize crofting law.
Chapter 14 - Financial investments will be made by the Scottish Government to support low carbon sustainable crofting, to enable crofting communities to play a greater part in addressing climate change as food producers and enhancing biodiversity and the environment. The Scottish Government will also continue to support and invest in crofting businesses and young crofters. Further financial initiatives entail actions to extent accessibility of all crofters to Crofting Agricultural Grant (CAG) Schemes and veterinary services.