This summer's drought has been officially classified as a nationally significant incident - with its effects being felt most acutely by farmers and food producers across the country.
JBA's Head of Environment and Sustainability, Steve Maslen explores the impact of water scarcity on agriculture this summer, and the critical role of soil health in building water resilience.
What are the impacts for farmers?
Prolonged dry conditions through spring and summer have placed immense pressure on crops - particularly cereals and sugar beet - with widespread reports of severely reduced yields.
Livestock farmers are also facing tough decisions, dipping into winter feed reserves far earlier than usual due to poor grass growth. This raises serious concerns about feed shortages and rising costs later in the year. In an unprecedented move, some cereal crops have even required irrigation this year - an indication of just how extreme and unusual this season has been.
Soil health as a buffer against drought
Despite the widespread challenges, there are encouraging signs of resilience within the farming community. Organic farms, in particular, appear to have weathered the drought slightly better than their conventional counterparts. This advantage is largely attributed to long-term investments in soil health - especially improvements in organic matter and soil structure.
Farms that have prioritised soil regeneration and sustainable practices are seeing the benefits: better water retention, deeper root systems, and more productive crop growth even under stress. These examples underscore the importance of building climate resilience from the ground up.
How can farming become more resilient to drought?
At a farm level consider what the Climate Change Projections are saying for your area and your land, and determine what the risks to the farm business are going forward.
Consider the water balance for the whole farm; specific crop water requirements, rainwater harvesting and storage, evaporative losses and cover crops, soil characteristics and underdrainage.
Invest in improving the health of all the farm soils.
Plan collectively and strategically for infrastructure which can combine features that deliver both flood risk benefits, water storage and wider benefits.
Future resilience
This summer's drought has exposed water vulnerabilities in our current farming system but it has also highlighted pathways to greater resilience. By understanding local climate risks, managing water resources more strategically, and investing in soil health, we can work to support farmers and food producers in preparing for future extremes.
For more information contact Steve Maslen.
