For rivers to thrive, nature needs to be considered in the food production process. Operating within the Soar catchment, Trent Rivers Trust worked with Beef and Dairy farmers to help manage their environmental impact and reduce negative impacts on aquatic habitats from agricultural activities by improving soil health, water management, and increasing biodiversity.
In the Soar catchment, rivers and streams are in poor biological and chemical health and farming is one of many contributors to this. The key to this project was working in partnership with the people that put our food on the table, by acknowledging the need for farmers to run productive profitable farms and practice water-friendly farming.
As part of the Tesco and WWF partnership commitment to halving the environmental impact of each shopping basket, we worked with farmers to reduce their impact on rivers. Measuring replenished water, our work enhanced 2,460,690 litres of water.
By approaching farmers in the catchment, we adopted a partnership approach, encouraging farmers to reflect on current practices and take positive action for their stretch of the river. Through an introductory event and bespoke advice, farmers committed to a range of changes, either by taking steps to reduce river bank poaching, introducing physical barriers to runoff such as hedgerows and buffer margins, as well as using alternative water sources to streams for their livestock.
We added fencing to keep livestock from riverbanks to reduce bank erosion, planted trees to stabilise soil, aid water infiltration and reduce ammonia emissions and helped to fund buffer strips which act as a barrier to runoff, as well as creating a space for beneficial insects and pollinators. We upgraded stream crossings, reducing the amount of soil being flushed further downstream. More comprehensive reports advised farmers on existing good practice and areas for improvement, as well as funding options they can access for additional environmental improvements.
As the pilot enters its final stage, this year focuses on the learnings and takes its ambitions to the supplier level. Working with beef supplier Foyles and dairy supplier Arla, the aim is to introduce best practice to a much greater number of farmers, primarily through education events. These events will focus on peer-to-peer learning, along with demonstrations from experts. It is hoped this will create a greater legacy of beneficial land management practices within the catchment and the Tesco supply chain.
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