Last year I was asking whether there was ever an ideal time to talk about water for agriculture. After last summer’s drought – and the impact on yields – means that question has been firmly answered.
Restrictions in several catchments means water availability is now a central business risk for many farms – and not just across eastern England. The question farmers are rightly asking is simple: Will there be a drought in 2026?
There is no straightforward answer. The Environment Agency has made it clear that drought-risk remains high without at least long-term average winter rainfall. Under those conditions, most on-farm irrigation reservoirs should refill. But returning rivers to normal levels would require above-average rainfall, while chalk aquifers – so critical to water supply in eastern England – need around 120% of long-term average rainfall to recover fully. Against this backdrop, the Met Office forecast suggests a 30% chance of a dry winter, which offers little reassurance.
Water policy
At the same time, farmers are facing a growing volume of reports, consultations and reviews related to water, climate and land management. Keeping track of these can be time-consuming and, at times, overwhelming. But it is, of course, important that agriculture remains engaged. A lack of response can easily be interpreted as a lack of interest, at precisely the moment when water policy is being reshaped.
A steady stream of recent policy reports have addressed water for agriculture. The recent Farming Profitability Review was not specifically about water, but it included a highly relevant proposal for a ‘one-stop-shop’ dashboard for business advice, grants, schemes and knowledge exchange. Water for agriculture is currently spread across multiple agencies, plans and funding streams. Bringing these together in one place would improve clarity and access for farmers.
Assessment
Meanwhile, the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee is undertaking a wide-ranging assessment of drought preparedness in the context of climate change. Agriculture features strongly, with evidence from the NFU and regional abstractor groups in Norfolk and Suffolk. Taken together, this evidence amounts to a masterclass in the practical realities of managing irrigation under increasing water stress.
Importantly, the conversation is not all bad news. Pressure on water resources will continue to increase, but new thinking is emerging. With limited scope for developing entirely new water sources, the focus is towards making better use of the water we already have.
This theme will underpin the UK Irrigation Association conference in March.
While the case for building more on-farm reservoirs remains strong, significant advances in electronic sensors, telemetry and artificial intelligence are now transforming how water is managed.
Smart farming
Farmers can increasingly monitor soil moisture, crop demand, and water flows in near-real time, allowing irrigation to be applied when crops need it, rather than when water is available.
Precision irrigation, smart farming systems and managed aquifer recharge are moving from theory into practice. Equally important are new management approaches. Collaboration between farmers is becoming essential.
Water Abstractor Groups provide a practical mechanism for sharing knowledge, coordinating abstraction and engaging more effectively with regional water planners. Linking these groups with Regional Water Resource Groups helps ensure that agriculture is properly represented within long-term water resource planning, rather than treated as an afterthought.
White Paper
At the policy level, a government White Paper on water resources is expected to be informed by the independent Cunliffe Water Commission. This signals renewed attention to long-term water planning and raises an important question: how can farming secure a meaningful seat at the table as decisions are made?
Increasingly, the emphasis is on thinking about water as part of a whole farming and regional system, rather than as a standalone issue.
A systems approach recognises that securing water for agriculture goes hand in hand with improving on-farm efficiency, strengthening climate resilience, supporting nature recovery and sustaining profitable local food production. In practical terms, this means farmers working together, sharing data and infrastructure, and engaging more effectively with regional water planning.
In lowlying areas of the region, such as the Fens, this joined-up approach is being tested, with farmers collaborating through transition projects supported by Water Resources East to explore how existing water resources can be managed more flexibly and efficiently to benefit both farming and the wider environment.
As the risk of drought becomes a recurring feature rather than an occasional shock, the challenge for agriculture is clear. Preparing for 2026 – and beyond – will require not only infrastructure, but better data, stronger collaboration and a more integrated approach to water management.
Melvyn Kay is executive secretary of the UK Irrigation Association. For details, visit www.ukia.org