UKIA Spring conference

Location: Orton Hall Hotel, Peterborough The Village Orton Longueville Peterborough PE2 7DN. Tickets cost £60 to £216.

A programme of speakers will draw upon the latest research and the experiences of the summer 2022 drought to set out the best options available to help mitigate the effects of drought as climate change begins to bite. Speakers include:

Kelly Hewson-Fisher NFU water policy adviser and Chair of Water for Food Group will offer her perspective on recent drought experiences and the work of the WfFG to develop both a water strategy for agriculture and also for drought.

Richard Davis Senior Advisor, National Water Resources Hydrology Team Environment Agency

Farmer perspective on coping with drought - speaker to be confirmed

Liz Bentley Professor and Chief Executive, Royal Meteorological Society will describe the state of our current UK climate, future projections and how we can limit further warming and more resilient to changes.

Adriano Battilani Senior researcher ANBI Associazione Nazionale Consorzi di gestione e tutela del territorio e acque irrigue is at the centre of EU policy and strategy development on agricultural drought and will offer his perspective on drought experiences across Europe and the steps being taken the mitigate drought impacts.

Ian Holman Professor of Integrated Land and Water Management Cranfield University will review the latest options available to mitigate drought impacts on field and protected cropping including developments and experiences with D-Risk planning at farm and catchment levels, water sharing options, water harvesting, and on-farm storage.

Giles Bloomfield Project Development Manager, Water Management Alliance: Will review Internal Drainage Board experiences of practical ways in which they are working with farmers to make drainage water available for irrigation.

Andrew Hawes farm reservoir consultant: reservoirs will play an imporant role in securing water for irrigation. But should there be multipurpose reservoirs or on-farm storage or both? What do we need, how many and the challenges facing farmers?

To book, or apply for one of the free scholarship places, click here.