The Environment Agency is looking for groups of 2-15 farmers and growers that want to strengthen their water resilience and apply for a fully-funded, expert-led, evaluation of how they can do that.
Through previous rounds of funding there have been 33 studies working with 177 farms covering an area of 69,500 ha. These studies have identified 15.5M+ m³/year potential new water supply from top-ranked LROs (local resource options) at an average cost of £0.38/m³.
Case studies from these are available to view on the Environment Agency water hub.
We have seen another dry spring after the driest spring since 1956 in the past year, and the outlook for the summer is uncertain as to whether it will remain dry or more unsettled, but the EA has downgraded the irrigation prospects from good to moderate in East Anglia and parts of the Midlands.
The LRO offer by the EA aims to deliver:
- A consultant-led assessment of the group’s local water challenges.
- Practical, costed options to improve your resilience.
- Improved collaboration with neighbouring farms and stakeholders on access to water.
Adapting to extreme weather
The launch of this new round of funding comes shortly after the Climate Change Committee new report – ‘A Well-Adapted UK’ – makes several recommendations including the need to remove regulatory barriers that prevent farmers from adapting their businesses, providing incentives to adapt practices and giving farmers and growers access to the skills and training they need to help drive change.
Developing options to meet future water challenges is a first step in this process and the NFU’s work on delivering sustainable water has called for the government to ensure incentives enable, through fiscal or capital measures, widespread uptake of water quality and availability measures.
Who can apply?
Farmers can apply for a screening study if they own the land or have a tenancy agreement with the landowner, plus:
- are a group of two or more neighbouring farms
- manage or operate arable, horticultural, aquaculture or livestock farms, including ornamentals or forestry nurseries, and
- currently abstract, or would like to abstract, water for irrigation or livestock husbandry located in England (you cannot apply with joint businesses or partnerships in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales).
You do not need to be a member of an existing water group to apply but there may be opportunities to work within existing networks such as farm clusters.
The EA and the NFU encourage agricultural abstractors to consider joining or starting a group in their area to improve their water resilience.
Details of current water abstractor groups can be found on the UK Irrigation Association website.
For full details of how to apply visit the Environment Agency water hub or contact [email protected] for more information.
