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Big challenge is demand for water East of England farmers have a crucial role in securing the region’s water supply by embracing new thinking... How farmers can secure region’s water supply

Big challenge is demand for water

East of England farmers have a crucial role in securing the region’s water supply by embracing new thinking and fostering collaboration, says a report.

An integrated water management strategy is needed to address the challenges of water quality and quality, says rural consultants Savills. The current fragmented approach to water management across different sectors is unsustainable, it warns.

Regional group Water Resources East says the East of England is projected to require over 400 million extra litres of water per day by 2050 to support its growing population, food production and environmental protection.

The Savills Spotlight report identifies several ways farmers can contribute to water resilience. They include improved water management solutions, collaborative working, sustainable practices and investment in infrastructure and reservoirs.

Under pressure

Savills eastern region associate director Tim Frost said: “Finding innovative solutions to reduce reliance on already stressed resources will be crucial to creating a sustainable and long-lasting business.”

This is important because farmers in the East of England are coming under more and more pressure to use water more effectively as abstraction licences and weather patterns become more uncertain.

To help the rural sector achieve improved water resilience, Mr Frost says the government needs to make more resources available for effective investment – both from the public and private sector.

It should also ringfence a funding pot for the delivery of the necessary infrastructure to support an integrated approach, he adds. This includes streamlining processes from consultation through to planning and execution.

Best practice

More farmers are exploring how best to manage their water supplies. Some are adopting nature-based solutions and rainwater harvesting. Others are constructing on-farm reservoirs, upgrading irrigation systems and developing water recycling facilities.

The establishment of water resources regional groups also highlights the importance of multi-sector collaboration, says Mr Frost. Farmers and landowners can and should play a pivotal role in these groups, he believes.

Sharing best practices and developing integrated water management plans, can include exploring sustainable solutions such as planting drought-resistant crops and enhancing soil health to improve water retention and reduce runoff.

The Savills report highlights the Norfolk Rivers Trust’s (NRT) Norfolk and CamEO (Cam and Ely Ouse) project as an example of how collective action can help businesses and the environment become more resilient.

Their strategies include using practical on-farm measures to improve water retention, reduce runoff, protect soils, enhance biodiversity and improve the resilience of surrounding water supplies.

Since 2012, the NRT has collaborated with more than 300 farmers with the aim of creating a positive impact for their rivers and wetlands, while still ensuring food can be produced.

This also includes working across agricultural supply chains to use water more sustainably by increasing groundwater infiltration and enhancing the land’s water-holding capacity.

Daniel Murphy, from the food and farming team at Savills in Norfolk, says: “A specific example of how the project is being delivered is the construction of a large on-farm attenuation feature.”

Tackling flooding

In this case, a pond has been designed to temporarily hold and gradually release water to prevent flooding during heavy rainfall. It captures water from the surrounding arable land, holding it to allow infiltration and recharge of the chalk aquifer beneath.

The pond has been constructed on land with low productivity. “It will also create a new habitat for wildlife and mitigate the effect of field runoff, thus improving the resilience of the landscape against increasingly frequent extreme weather.”

NRT sustainable agriculture officer Josie Crook says: “We hope this project will connect the entire supply chain and raise awareness among stakeholders about the challenges of growing food in today’s climate.

“Ultimately, we aim to encourage growers to consider how they use natural resources. By using these resources more sustainably, we can improve landscape resilience and make food production more environmentally viable for future generations.”