New booklet highlights soil health as key to tackling extreme weather and rising costs
FARMERS across Wales are being offered practical support to cope with increasingly unpredictable weather and mounting financial pressures as Nature Friendly Farming Network Cymru (NFFN Cymru) takes to the road later this month.
The farmer-led organisation is launching a new booklet, The Weatherproof Farm in Wales, designed to help farmers build resilience in the face of climate change by improving soil health. Five events will be held across the country between Monday, February 23 and Friday, February 27, where nature-friendly farmers will be joined by soil health specialist Niels Corfield to share practical advice and first-hand experience. All attendees will receive a free copy of the publication.
Welsh farmers are increasingly grappling with hotter, drier summers and milder, wetter winters, conditions which can see grass burn off during prolonged dry spells and fields left waterlogged and poached during heavy rainfall. At the same time, input costs continue to rise, squeezing already tight margins.
NFFN Cymru Country Manager Rhys Evans said the sector was facing significant challenges on multiple fronts.
“Farming in Wales is getting more and more difficult, both from a climate and economic perspective,” he said. “Farmers are dealing with more extreme weather while also seeing costs rise and margins tighten.
“The good news is that focusing on soil health can address many of these issues. Healthy soils drain more effectively in winter and retain moisture in summer. That leads to improved grass growth, healthier livestock, lower input bills and ultimately more resilient and profitable farm businesses.”
The booklet takes farmers through the process of testing and assessing their soils before outlining practical steps to improve them. These include measures such as rotational grazing, establishing herbal leys, integrating trees through agroforestry and increasing plant diversity in fields. While some of these approaches may be unfamiliar to those used to more conventional systems, Evans said they are both achievable and effective.
“Some of the solutions to poor soil health can feel daunting if you haven’t tried them before,” he added. “This booklet sets out clearly what farmers can do, and our members are already demonstrating that these methods are an effective way to future-proof farm businesses against the challenges of the 21st century.”
The publication also includes case studies from NFFN Cymru members who have adopted nature-friendly techniques to strengthen their businesses. The booklet was recently unveiled at the Senedd in Cardiff, where it was presented to politicians, advisers and policymakers.
NFFN Cymru is calling for an ambitious roll-out of the Sustainable Farming Scheme across Wales to ensure that nature-friendly farming becomes standard practice rather than a niche pursuit.
The roadshow events have been funded by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.
