Inverness and Nairn MSP Emma Roddick has returned to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs Committee and says she is already engaging with organisations representing some of the Highlands’ most important sectors.

The committee examines issues including farming, crofting and rural land use, all of which play a significant role in communities across the Highlands.

Ms Roddick has begun a programme of meetings with local groups and stakeholders as she prepares to contribute to the committee’s work during the new parliamentary term.

Among her first discussions were talks with the Scottish Crofting Federation about the challenges facing crofters, including legislative changes and financial pressures.

She also met Community Land Scotland at Knocknagael to discuss community ownership initiatives and the future development of local allotments.

The Inverness and Nairn MSP said she wants to use her place on the committee to support opportunities for younger crofters, address housing shortages and encourage sustainable development.

Emma Roddick MSP said:

“I am absolutely delighted to return to the Rural Affairs Committee, a role that gives me a direct platform to stand up for the issues that matter most to people living and working across Inverness and Nairn.

“Our rural communities are the backbone of the Highlands, but they face very specific challenges, from securing affordable housing to navigating the changing agricultural landscape, that require careful, empathetic, and informed attention in Edinburgh.

“In an uncertain world, local agriculture is vital if we want confidence that there’ll be food on the table regardless of international decisions, trade disruptions, and war.

“I believe in getting straight to work, which is why I have already been meeting with local organisations, including the Scottish Crofting Federation, to hear firsthand about immediate priorities.

“I am determined to be a strong, honest voice for our rural workers, ensuring that the committee’s work delivers practical, positive solutions that genuinely support our local communities.

“Access to spaces to grow our own food, and the resilience that comes along with that, is also something I’ll be raising, using the example of Knocknagael Ltd.’s work to bring local land into use as allotments.”

Crofting, land use and rural housing are expected to remain central issues for the committee as communities across the Highlands continue to grapple with population pressures, rising costs and the availability of affordable homes.

For many rural areas, the debate also extends to how local food production can be supported at a time of increasing uncertainty around global supply chains and economic conditions.