Recognition of water’s importance needed

Government must recognise that water is a vital ingredient of our food and is essential to the economic performance of the agri-food sector. That’s the key message in a new position statement drawn up by the UKIA, NFU, CLA, fdf, PPA, and HTA – all members of the the Water for Food (WfG) representing the interests of farmers, growers, processors, and manufacturers.

Increasing water demands from other sectors, and the risk of water scarcity from droughts threaten the industry’s ability to sustain and increase efficient, high quality food production at affordable prices.

Growers of high value fruit and vegetables are particularly reliant on access to secure supplies of water.

The WfG wants water for food production to be designated as an ‘essential water need’, alongside water for people and for energy, and prioritised accordingly by the Government – particularly in its proposals to reform water abstraction.

NFU Vice President Guy Smith said: “All farmers and growers depend on secure supplies of water to grow our food but many of them are increasingly vulnerable to water shortages as a result of dry weather and strict regulations.

“With Government currently reviewing the system of how to allocate water between different users when there isn’t enough to meet everybody’s needs, it is timely for us to ask for a fair share of water to grow the nation’s food.”