The £1.14m funding will provide long-term support over the next four years to a number of existing collective action projects operating through WRAP's Water Roadmap in areas that provide large amounts of the UK’s fresh food. These include key agricultural regions in Africa, Peru, Spain and the UK itself.
In the UK, an estimated 47% of vegetables and 84% of fruit are imported from overseas, often from water scarce and drought-prone regions, while global agriculture accounts for 70% of all water use.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) predicts that by 2030, global demand for water will double while the United Nations predicts an overall 40% water shortfall. The Environment Agency warns that the UK faces serious water shortages if no action is taken.
James Berry, head of strategy at the Nature Recovery Project, said: “WRAP’s international network, including UK Food and Drink Pact, unites nearly 200 organisations dedicated to sustainability in food production. This partnership will serve as an exemplar for these organisations, demonstrating how collaborative action can be replicated in other regions to accelerate thriving ecosystems and resilient water resources.”
The projects bring water stewardship into supply chains and deliver nature-based solutions to improve water quality and availability, and support biodiversity, soil health and carbon storage through a range of local innovative regenerative agriculture projects.
Harriet Lamb, chief executive of WRAP, added: “This vitally needed injection of funding will enable the projects to deepen their impact through more nature-based solutions from planting native trees to using natural groundcover to retain water.
“Over 80% of the fruit we enjoy comes from outside the UK, often from drought-prone areas, while last year, no single river in England or Northern Ireland was classified as being in ‘good health’. This is a perfect storm, and we must improve and protect these crucial water catchments through collective action, here and overseas. We are very grateful to the Nature Recovery Project for their invaluable support."