- Water availability is crucial for farmers in the East - especially potatoes, onions and strawberries.
- More pressure on water resources.
- Climate change making water appear at wrong time of year.
- Regenerative farming practices can help retain and manage water.
Given the recent heavy rain and flooding across the region, this month's blog is all about the relationship between farming and water.
My part of the country (Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border) is one of the driest areas in the country *. It frequently goes several weeks without raining in the summer, meaning water is scarce. Whilst it means that I can wear my flip flops without worrying, what used to be a minor annoyance for farmers is turning into a bit of a flashpoint.
Water is truly at a premium when it comes to farming in the east of England. As a growing population (and leaking infrastructure) puts more and more demand on already limited water supplies, farmers are increasingly under pressure to either dramatically cut back on their irrigation, or else stop irrigating entirely.
The process of abstraction (sucking water out of rivers or ground water sources) is closely controlled by the Environment Agency with the potential to simply withdraw permits if they are not used or are causing damage. This can lead a perverse "use it or lose it" situation where farmers end up irrigating through fear of having their permits withdrawn.
Whilst it may sound minor, some crops like potatoes, onions and strawberries are almost totally reliant on irrigation Without farmers tapping into ground water or abstracting water from rivers and streams, these crops simply wouldn't be viable.
However, as more and more homes are built, water demand increases. In East Anglia over the last couple of years, parts of the river Cam have become critically low . At the moment, Anglian Water are even constructing a network of strategic water pipelines, to bring water from wetter regions into the East. According to Anglian Water, unless this is done, we could run out of drinking water by 2030.
As climate change sets in, water is truly the limiting factor in all crop production - even muesli ingredients. Changing weather patterns mean that more rain in falling in the autumn and winter (when the crops don't need it) and less in the spring and early summer (when it's vital). The intense drought in the summer of 2022 saw yields were well down. Irrigating wheat and barley isn't an option for most, but there are things that all farmers can do to help retain and conserve moisture.
Unsurprisingly it all starts with healthy soil. Reducing cultivations (ploughing) helps to support a good porous soil structure. This means that when it rains, instead of running straight off, the water can percolate into the soil and get to the crops. In the winter, this can help heavy rainfall drain away, rather than pooling on the soil surface.
As well as helping store carbon, healthy soils with high organic matter levels also act like a sponge to help retain water rather than it evaporating. Farmers who don't plough can also leave crop residues and other materials on the surface of the soil, which acts like a mulch to help retain moisture. During heavy rainfall this can also help slow the flow of water and prevent erosion.
Practices like those above, are all the sorts of things that the forward-thinking farmers who grow Oliver's Muesli are starting to do now and is a key part of a sustainable, resilient farming system.
*I lived with a farmer from Herefordshire for a bit and they were genuinely amazed at how little it rained in East Anglia. I've never seen someone so shocked.