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Drought Fears Rise: Farmers Urge Reservoir Funding
22 Oct
Summary
- Farmers seek less red tape and more funding for on-farm reservoirs.
- Reservoirs would store winter rainwater for summer crop irrigation.
- Government offers £15m scheme for farm reservoirs, but it's deemed insufficient.
Farmers across England are calling for significant changes to address mounting water shortages exacerbated by climate change. They advocate for reduced regulatory hurdles and greater government financial support to build reservoirs on their land. These structures would store vital rainwater captured during wetter winter months for use in irrigating crops during increasingly dry summers, thereby enhancing food security and reducing flood risks.
Recent years have seen extreme weather shifts, with consecutive dry summers following very wet periods, impacting crop yields significantly. For instance, a Somerset farmer noted yields dropping by two-thirds on unirrigated land. While the government has announced a £15 million scheme intended to fund approximately 100 farm reservoirs, many in the agricultural sector consider this amount inadequate for the scale of the problem. The cost and complexity of obtaining planning consent and abstraction licenses also present substantial barriers.
The government has indicated plans to streamline planning rules and accelerate licensing processes. A spokesperson for Defra stated that the £15 million is part of a broader £65 million package to support farmers facing drought conditions. Additionally, there are proposals for expanded tax relief on on-farm reservoirs in the upcoming budget. However, some agricultural representatives view the current funding as a temporary measure rather than a long-term solution to climate adaptation.
