How will the Sustainable Farming Scheme support farmers to store water on-farm to help mitigate against potential drought?
Under the Universal proposals of the Sustainable Farming Scheme there is a requirement to restore and manage existing ponds, and create temporary ponds (Scrapes), where there are insufficient water features currently present. Such features are primarily associated with boosting wildlife but also deliver other benefits such as water storage to support on farm resilience.
We have also proposed capital support in the Optional Layer of the Scheme to harvest and manage water supplies, including the creation of new irrigation ponds and reservoirs, or the installation of infrastructure to separate clean and dirty water. We are seeking feedback on the prioritisation of Optional Actions. In the meantime, we currently support rainwater harvesting equipment through the Small Grants Efficiency scheme.