Crisis on the farms
Across Europe, droughts and extreme heat are forcing farmers to confront new challenges. Tim Young, who has been monitoring weather patterns on his family’s Norfolk farm since 1976, reports that rainfall has dropped to just two-thirds of historical averages over the past six years. With less water, he faces a growing threat to his business. Meanwhile, in France’s Dordogne region, Uyen Do, an organic farmer, describes the toll of relentless heat and smoke. “It’s too fast. It’s too big,” she says, as the climate crisis accelerates beyond what she can manage.
For Young, the lack of water is a critical issue. Last year, his permit to draw water from a local river was suspended due to low flows, which led to significant losses. To cope, he now pays extra to buy water from another farmer. While building a reservoir to collect water during heavy rainfall and high river levels could offer relief, cost and planning delays have prevented progress. “We’re so reliant upon that message,” Young says, referring to updates from the Environment Agency about river levels.
Reservoirs not a solution
Paul Tompkins, deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union, explains that on-farm reservoirs are not a guaranteed solution. Many horticulture farmers are already running low on the water they stored during winter, and the regulator warns that reservoirs in drought-affected areas could be depleted by August. Half of the UK is currently in drought, and conditions are worsening. Luke King, the supply chain and technical director at Riverford, an organic farming company, emphasizes the importance of water storage. “We just wouldn’t be able to farm without it,” he says. Yet all but one of the company’s reservoirs are now dry.
To stretch their limited water supplies, Riverford employs technology like humidity sensors and soil moisture probes in polytunnels. This allows them to water crops more efficiently. “We can water optimally, which helps conserve water,” King says. Still, he admits the strategy falls short when water reserves are nearly gone.
Rising costs and fewer crops
Pippa Murray, founder of food company Pip and Nut, notes that the water crisis is pushing some California farmers out of the almond business. Almond acreage in California has decreased for five consecutive years, with so-called “abandoned orchards” becoming more common. Murray says her company has already raised prices in response to climate shocks and expects further increases.
Young experienced the impact firsthand last year. A hot, dry summer reduced his onion crop by 500 tonnes. “We have storage for 1,200 tonnes and last year we grew just over 700,” he says. “That means I was 35% down. That’s all my profit.” Without a reliable water supply, he worries his farm’s future is uncertain.
King adds that the recent heatwaves pushed crops to the brink. “The environment was so hostile that the plants are so stressed they want to die,” he says. Grass, once abundant, has stopped growing in many areas, forcing farmers to use stored animal feed meant for winter. This shift threatens to create additional challenges later in the year. As the climate crisis intensifies, farmers face an uncertain path forward.