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The £876,000 extra funding will include support for the Food For Thought Education Fund and takes the total investment to almost £5 million since it began in 2010.

Food secretary, Richard Lochhead, said: “Scotland’s food and drink industry is booming, with people all over the world showing an interest in our fantastic natural larder. It’s a sector that Scotland can be extremely proud of, with plenty of room for further growth, so it’s great to see schools getting involved in food education.

“I want young people to not only engage with the journey of their food and its health impacts, but also open their eyes to potential careers in the industry and further afield. This funding can help them do that and it’s great that more money has been made available to help youngsters and, hopefully, encourage them to consider a future in the sector.”

Since the food education programme launched there has been more than 374,000 individual pupil opportunities to learn through its projects and almost 10,000 teacher training courses with a reported increase in confidence among teachers, with food as a topic becoming more established into the curriculum.

Susan Imlach, curricular leader health and wellbeing at Holy Rood High, where the announcement was made, said: “The Food for Thought funding has supported Holy Rood pupils in developing skills for learning, life and work in a wide variety of innovative and imaginative ways.

“The funding was well used to improve the school’s links with business partners in the food and hospitality industry, and pupils are now better informed of employment possibilities within the food industry, as well as the skills required to do particular jobs.”

Suzanne Hargreaves from Education Scotland said: “We are delighted to give schools the opportunity to apply for the fourth phase of the Food for Thought Education Fund, which is having such a positive impact in schools across Scotland.

“With the help of this funding many learners in schools and early years centres are growing their own food garden areas, raised beds, greenhouses and even poly tunnels for the more ambitious. Other establishments have purchased cooking trolleys and culinary equipment, or have turned unused spaces into kitchens, inspiring learners to cook more at school and home.”