UK agriculture faces urgent need for water storage and drought resilience

UK agriculture faces significant challenges due to increasing drought frequency and climate change, with the arable sector alone estimated to face a £300-£400 million financial impact. Recent weather patterns, including a record-dry July, have led to drought orders across all of Wales and two-thirds of England, resulting in crop failure and reduced milk production due to heat stress.

Experts are calling for urgent improvements to water management and infrastructure. Jeremy Moody highlights that current legislation creates barriers for farmers attempting to build reservoirs, noting that Environmental Impact Assessment issues and restrictive development rights hinder necessary water storage.

Neil Ward, a professor at the University of East Anglia, emphasizes the need for systemic changes in land use, production, and soil management. He suggests improving soil health to increase its ability to retain water and recommends that farmers implement water-sharing agreements and increase on-farm reservoir capacity to build long-term resilience.