Around 1.12 million hectares of agricultural land in England is currently in areas at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea – around 13% of all agricultural land.
Flooding is a significant risk to farms and rural communities. Farmers are already living with the consequences, from damaged buildings and equipment to disruption to livestock, crops and livelihoods. As the climate changes, the risk of flooding is expected to increase.
But flooding is not the only water-related challenge farmers are facing. This summer has also highlighted the impacts of water shortages and drought, with farmers facing pressure from dry conditions and reduced water availability. These extremes – too much water and too little – show why building resilience to a changing climate is increasingly important for farms and rural communities.
Agricultural buildings often contain what a farm business depends on most – machinery, feed, fuel, livestock and harvested crops. When floodwater gets in, the damage can continue to affect a farm business long after the water has gone.
That's why we've worked with five other organisations through the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership (RFRP) to develop new practical guidance to help farmers prepare for flooding, reduce its impacts and recover more quickly.
What we're doing
The Rural Flood Resilience Partnership brings together the Environment Agency, National Farmers' Union, Action with Communities in Rural England, Association of Drainage Authorities, Country Land and Business Association and Natural England.
We share evidence, coordinate action and develop guidance together because improving rural flood resilience needs the knowledge and experience of organisations that understand land management, the risks and the communities affected.
Find out more about the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership.
Closing a gap in flood protection
Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures are products and techniques that help prevent water entering buildings or reduce the damage when it does. They are well established for homes and other properties, but have received far less attention in agricultural settings.
The RFRP identified a clear need for practical guidance on improving the resilience of agricultural buildings, particularly on how PFR measures can be used effectively on farms.
New guidance for agricultural buildings
That has been the driver for the RFRP to publish Increasing Flood Resilience for Agricultural Buildings. The guidance draws on visits to farms and existing research on flood resilience to provide practical advice for farmers.
It sets out practical steps to:
prepare for flooding before it happens incorporate flood resilience measures into agricultural buildings recover more quickly and effectively after a flood strengthen the resilience of the wider farm business, not just its buildings.Building flood resilience isn't just about physical measures. It's also about having a plan, knowing what to do when flooding happens and being ready to recover afterwards. The guidance covers all of these areas.
This guidance is for farmers who:
have agricultural buildings in an area at risk of flooding have already experienced flooding on their farm want to reduce the impacts of future flooding on their farm business.What to do next
If flooding is a risk to your farm, read the full guidance.
Use it to plan ahead if you haven't been flooded, or to strengthen your recovery and resilience if you have.
We'll continue working with our partners to close gaps like this one, providing practical, evidence-based support to help rural communities be more flood resilient.
seen at 11:43, 16 October in Environment Agency: For homes and habitats..