Policy paper

Rural flood resilience partnership: 2024 to 2026 work plan

Published 23 September 2024

Applies to England

1. Background

Climate change means that people, places and nature will be faced with more:

• frequent storms
• severe storms
• floods

In recent years, farmers and rural communities have been on the frontline of increasingly frequent weather extremes and the devastating impacts flooding can have.

Flooding presents challenges for those living and working within rural areas where there are few facilities. The loss of services and shops can have a disproportionately large economic impact.

Flood events can damage:

• bridges
• power lines and substations
• roads
• other infrastructure

This can:

• cut off more remote and distributed communities from essential services and utilities
• slow their recovery
• impact the wider community beyond those whose homes or business have flooded

Farming businesses face unique vulnerabilities from flooding.

Floodwater can:

• cut off access to livestock, leaving animals vulnerable and without food
• damage or destroy crops
• prevent access to fields for drilling, cultivation and harvesting
• cause soil compaction and degradation
• cause salinisation in coastal areas

These impacts have economic consequences. Farmers may have to carry out a substantial clean-up. They may need to repair or replace farm and business infrastructure while dealing with flood damage to their own homes.

In the face of these challenges, we know that healthy, functioning catchments:

• hold more water
• filter pollutants
• provide vital homes for wildlife
• offer health and wellbeing benefits for people

Sustainable land management reduces the likelihood of flooding both on farms and within the local community.

As partners, the impact of flooding on rural communities is something we all want to reduce. Individually, our organisations have supported, and will continue to support rural flood resilience. But no single organisation can tackle these challenges alone.

We are establishing the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership (RFRP) to:

• strengthen collaboration
• help better understand the specific vulnerabilities of rural areas

The RFRP work plan will help rural communities to:

• strengthen the resilience of their homes and businesses by providing evidenced solutions to the challenges they face in the event of flooding
• influence decision making
• access to resources and support action on the ground
• strengthen rural resilience to flooding in a changing climate

2. RFRP work plan partners

The partners working together to carry out the RFRP work plan are:

• Environment Agency
• National Farmers Union (NFU)
• Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE)
• Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA)
• Country Land and Business Association (CLA)
• Natural England

3. The strategic background

The Environment Agency published the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy for England in 2020.

This strategy:

• was developed in collaboration with a wide range of partner organisations
• sets out a long-term vision for “a nation ready for, and resilient to flooding and coastal change - today, tomorrow and to the year 2100”

The FCERM Strategy Roadmap to 2026 describes how we will translate the FCERM Strategy, its objectives and measures into practical action.

The first ambition of the FCERM Strategy is to create climate resilient places where:

• people and places will be more resilient to flood and coastal change in a changing climate
• farming and land management practices will better support rural resilience to floods and droughts
• Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) will work with farmers and land managers to help them adapt their businesses and practices to be resilient to flooding and coastal change

The FCERM Strategy Roadmap to 2026 includes the commitment that:

• the NFU will work with the Environment Agency to establish a rural resilience partnership focused on helping farmers and land managers adapt to a changing climate
• the RFRP will look at how farming practices can enhance flood resilience in rural areas alongside sustainable food production

The NFU also published an Integrated Water Management Strategy in January 2021.

The aim of this is to:

• help farmers and land managers adapt to future flood and drought risk
• raise the resilience of farm businesses
• secure sustainable food production

The RFRP work plan will help achieve the FCERM Strategy Roadmap and NFU Integrated Water Management Strategy. They specifically target the needs and vulnerabilities of rural communities when faced with flooding.

The RFRP work plan also supports the ambitions in government’s Plan for Water which was published in April 2023.

This sets out actions to:

• transform our management of the water system
• deliver cleaner water for nature and people
• secure a plentiful water supply

We recognise there are other important stakeholders with valuable expertise working on rural resilience issues across the country. As the RFRP develops, we will look to work with others to achieve our broad objectives. We may bring further organisations into membership if all original partners agree.

Since our first meeting in November 2022 we have worked collaboratively to establish:

• a joint understanding of the issues facing rural communities
• the actions we can take through the work of our organisations
• where these actions can be developed to maximise the resilience of rural communities and businesses to flooding

This RFRP work plan comes from these discussions. It sets out the work we intend to do between now and Spring 2026. We have committed to reviewing and reporting on our commitments annually.

4. The outcomes we are seeking

The RFRP has identified 7 strategic outcomes to inform our first work plan. We will use 3 frameworks to achieve these 7 strategic outcomes.

The 3 frameworks are:

• evidence to guide the right activity
• engaging rural communities in flood resilience
• access to quality support

The 7 strategic outcomes are:

• a wider understanding of the specific challenges associated with both rural flooding and coastal change, and what resilience looks like
• clear approaches to identifying, valuing and measuring rural flood risk impacts for farm businesses and rural communities
• understand local flood and coastal change risks and have the resources to help mitigate them
• are heard and involved when planning, developing and delivering resilience to flooding and coastal change
• farm businesses can increase their resilience to current flood risks and adapt their practices to prepare for the long-term challenges of climate change
• rural communities have increased resilience to flooding and coastal change through effective long term rural land-use and management
• rural communities have increased awareness of the funding available and suitable for addressing rural flood resilience and coastal change

4.1 Evidence to guide the right activity

We will use robust evidence to helps us make the right decisions. The RFRP will combine scientific data with the experience of farmers, landowners, and rural communities to inform the work we do. We will use this to support and encourage others to have an active role in enhancing flood resilience and sustainable food production.

The strategic outcomes in this framework are:

• a wider understanding of the specific challenges associated with both rural flooding and coastal change, and what resilience looks like
• clear approaches to identifying, valuing and measuring rural flood risk impacts for farm businesses and rural communities

We want to see	What we will do	When	Who will lead the work
A growing evidence base on the impacts of flooding to rural areas and the practices that increase resilience	Work with universities, research councils and other partners to produce world leading research through the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme. This will include specific consideration of rural impacts in new research, inclusion of rural expertise in research advisory groups, review and identification of any gaps in existing research and evidence.	2024	The Environment Agency
Greater awareness amongst people working in FCERM that the impacts of flooding on rural areas are different to those felt in towns and cities	Share the findings of the research, evidence and project review with rural communities and businesses and seek their views on what the evidence says and how that applies to their experiences	2025	All Partners
Greater awareness amongst people working in FCERM that the impacts of flooding on rural areas are different to those felt in towns and cities	Survey farmer and landowner views on their experiences of rural flooding and their approaches to flood resilience	2025	NFU
Greater awareness amongst people working in FCERM that the impacts of flooding on rural areas are different to those felt in towns and cities	Use existing evidence and feedback from farmers and landowners to identify the flood data needs for rural communities and businesses	2025	The Environment Agency
Greater awareness amongst people working in FCERM that the impacts of flooding on rural areas are different to those felt in towns and cities	Seek feedback from rural sector organisations using the Environment Agency Flood Warning and Flood Guidance products to better understand and document their needs for any future sector specific services	2024	The Environment Agency
Greater awareness amongst people working in FCERM that the impacts of flooding on rural areas are different to those felt in towns and cities	Commission research into the multifunctional benefits of lowland water level management for habitats, soils, peat, flood risk and water resources	2025	ADA
Greater awareness of the practices that increase the resilience of rural communities and businesses to flooding	Identify and promote the practices adopted by farmers and growers here and in other countries to improve their own resilience to flooding and the benefits to the wider catchment.	2025	NFU

4.2 Engaging rural communities in flood resilience

We want to understand what is important to farmers and rural communities. We want them to be involved in planning, developing and delivering rural flood resilience.

The strategic outcomes in this framework are that rural communities:

• understand local flood and coastal change risks and have the resources to help mitigate them
• are heard and involved when planning, developing and delivering resilience to flooding and coastal change

We want to see	What we will do	When	Who will lead the work
The RFRP focusing on the most practical actions to improve rural flood resilience. The rural voice routinely presented in discussion and decision making on flood resilience. Easier access to support, resources and evidence for people representing rural flood resilience matters at local and national levels.	Establish a partnership subgroup at which policy matters can be discussed and potential solutions recommended to Government departments including Defra. Policy matter could include maintenance spending, valuing agricultural land and flood storage payments.	2024	ADA, NFU, ACRE and ADA
The RFRP focusing on the most practical actions to improve rural flood resilience. The rural voice routinely presented in discussion and decision making on flood resilience. Easier access to support, resources and evidence for people representing rural flood resilience matters at local and national levels	Put forward and encourage the inclusion of speakers with a rural flood resilience focus at important events for farming, rural communities, and people working in FCERM	2025	All Partners
The RFRP focusing on the most practical actions to improve rural flood resilience. The rural voice routinely presented in discussion and decision making on flood resilience. Easier access to support, resources and evidence for people representing rural flood resilience matters at local and national levels	Encourage bodies overseeing FCERM funding and delivery (for example Regional Flood and Coastal Committees) to include a rural portfolio. Provide guidance, training and support to farmers and rural communities becoming representatives on internal drainage boards and Regional Flood and Coastal Committees.	2024	NFU and ADA
The RFRP focusing on the most practical actions to improve rural flood resilience. The rural voice routinely presented in discussion and decision making on flood resilience. Easier access to support, resources and evidence for people representing rural flood resilience matters at local and national levels	The RFRP will host a shared digital space for rural communities and businesses and those working with them to access information relevant to rural flood resilience	2025	All Partners
A forum for people working to promote flood resilience in rural communities to learn from others and share best practice	Form a national ‘community of practice’ for ACRE staff working with rural communities on flood resilience so that best practice and successes can be shared and promoted	2024	ACRE
A wider involvement of farmers and rural communities in planning for, responding to and recovering from flood incidents	Explore how rural sector partners can help rural communities work better with Local Resilience Forums in planning for, responding to and recovering from flood incidents	2025	The Environment Agency, NFU and ACRE

4.3 Access to quality support

The RFRP wants to make it easier for rural communities and businesses to access the information and support they need to bolster their resilience.

The strategic outcomes in this framework are that:

• farm businesses can increase their resilience to current flood risks and adapt their practices to prepare for the long-term challenges of climate change
• rural communities increased resilience to flooding and coastal change through effective long term rural land-use and management
• rural communities have increased awareness of the funding available and suitable for addressing rural flood resilience and coastal change

We want to see	What we will do	When	Who will lead the work
When rural communities and businesses are impacted by flooding that they know what support they can access and how	Identify and raise awareness amongst rural communities and those working with them of the mechanisms, tools, flexible permissions and recovery funds that rural communities and businesses may look to following flooding	2025	The Environment Agency and other regulatory organisations
When rural communities and businesses are impacted by flooding that they know what support they can access and how	Develop a standard approach for accurately describing the breadth of impacts from flooding in rural areas, including economic, environmental, social and wellbeing impacts, as well as impacts on food production	2024	All Partners
Rural communities and businesses know what information is available to them to help them understand their flood risk. Rural communities and businesses have access to practical information that will help them reduce their risk without exporting that risk to others.	Develop practical advice for farm businesses seeking to reduce their risk from flooding, limit the impacts during flooding and recover faster following flooding	2025	NFU
Rural communities and businesses know what information is available to them to help them understand their flood risk. Rural communities and businesses have access to practical information that will help them reduce their risk without exporting that risk to others.	Develop a programme of communications and engagement to signpost advice and support on the benefits of Property Flood Resilience (PFR) to communities at highest risk. This will include the creation of guidance and advice for farm businesses on how to increase their flood resilience by implementing PFR measures	2025	The Environment Agency
Rural communities and businesses know what information is available to them to help them understand their flood risk. Rural communities and businesses have access to practical information that will help them reduce their risk without exporting that risk to others.	Strengthen the awareness among landowners, farmers, communities and businesses of the roles and responsibilities of riparian owners. Explore ways that maintenance of rural FCERM assets including watercourses can be better co-ordinated between riparian owners and RMAs such as the Environment Agency and IDBs.	2025	All Partners
More rural businesses know how they can be funded or incentivised to carry out activities that reduce their risk of flooding and the risk of flooding to others.	Identify and promote amongst farm businesses and rural communities the funding and incentives available to support sustainable farming, and land and business management practices that increase flood resilience.	2024	NFU, CLA, ACRE and NE
Planning for future flood resilience being routinely considered by rural communities and those working with them.	Work with the National Association of Local Councils to provide parish and town councils with information on how to consider flood resilience when working with local communities, including writing Neighbourhood Development Plans	2025	ACRE
Planning for future flood resilience being routinely considered by rural communities and those working with them.	Strengthen awareness of rural flood resilience matters across risk management authorities to support those managing flood risk to better understand how they can support rural communities and businesses to be more resilient to flooding	2025	ADA and the Environment Agency

The activities set out in the RFRP work plan will:

• help farmers, landowners and the rural communities they are part of understand what will make them become more resilient to the impacts of climate change
• support and retain the vital role of managing land and producing sustainable food

5. Contact us

You can contact any of the RFRP partners for more information about the RFRP work plan:

• Environment Agency
• National Farmers Union (NFU)
• Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE)
• Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA)
• Country Land and Business Association (CLA))
• Natural England