SEEDA, the Regional Development Agency for the South East, is keen to attract applications from horticultural businesses in the region for grants to help these businesses make better use of water resources.

Through the EU-backed Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which SEEDA administers in the South East, grants of up to 50 per cent are available to commercial nurseries and growers to develop irrigation reservoirs and water recycling, harvesting and treatment projects.

Andrew Colquhoun, chairman of the SEEDA Horticulture Working Group, said: “There are significant water pressures in this densely populated region of the UK, and this situation is likely to get worse with climate change and more frequent dry summers.

“But the South East has the potential, with its good light levels and other advantages, to boost production of fruit, vegetables and ornamentals. If horticultural businesses can ensure that they have water security through an RDPE grant, this will boost their competitiveness and add capital value.”

Working in partnership with the Environment Agency, SEEDA has already allocated more than £600,000 to eight projects across the region to part-fund a number of projects to help farmers and growers to improve water storage and other aspects of water management. Six of these projects have been for on-farm reservoirs and the other two were for water capture and recycling projects on plant nurseries. The average grant for these projects was 40 per cent. The minimum grant award is £8,000.