With temperatures continuing to reach record levels across the UK, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is calling on the government to act on the water shortages that are affecting farmers.
David Exwood, NFU vice-president said: “The weather over the past six months has highlighted the urgent need for government to take our national food production and resilience seriously.
“It’s agencies need to manage the nation’s water resources more effectively so we’re able to store and move water in times of plenty for use when there is scarcity.”
The Met Office has reported that June 2023 was the hottest since 1884, with the average mean temperature being 15.8° – 2.5° higher than average.
The month of June, according to the Met Office, showed England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each recorded “drier than average months, though not enough to trouble any records”.
Water shortages
With east Anglia still enduring a drought, the NFU has said the government must: “Prepare for the rapid introduction of derogations to rules governing farmed environment schemes, should weather conditions thwart the delivery of agreed management prescriptions.”
The dry weather in 2022 caused the government to introduce derogations that enabled Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship agreement holders to ease shortages of bedding, fodder, grazing and forage crops through cutting and grazing options.
The NFU is asking the government to deliver “maximum and timely flexibility in the application of water abstraction rules to avoid wasting water that might otherwise run out to sea”.
It also said that farmers must:
- Adopt on-farm drought risk management and contingency planning such as more efficient water use, rainwater harvesting, separating potable and non-potable water use, locating and repairing leaking pipes;
- Develop the best practice in resource management of resources especially fodder and soil, for example cultivation techniques that lock in soil moisture and the increased use of more drought tolerant grass and forage crop mixes.
Policy on water
The NFU is calling for a long-term policy for the water supply that seeks to:
- Develop long-term, multi-sector plans for managing water scarcity and flooding events, linking the management of ‘too much’ and ‘not enough’ water;
- Deliver a fair share of water to farmers by recognising the farming sector as an essential user of water;
- Ensure that the government food strategy acknowledges drought risk as a global issue as food imports could become increasingly vulnerable;
- Introduce incentives through the tax system to encourage investment against the impacts of floods and droughts such as farm reservoirs and equipment to improve water efficiency measures.
The NFU is a member of the National Drought Group (NDG) which includes the Environment Agency, Natural England, public water companies, the Met Office, Ofwat, and Water UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the cabinet office.
This group works during periods of drought to minimise the impacts on people, the economy, industry, and the environment.
