22/10/25 Water Grid, Perry Pears, Sugar Beet Prices
A European project is underway to investigate whether a network of ponds built on farms could reduce flood risk and even be used to top up rivers during drought.
It's a familiar idea that batteries store electricity and now a new European project, called Water Grid, is encouraging farmers to create ponds as 'water batteries' for storing rainwater, to draw on in times of drought. Researchers think they could even be used to top up rivers. The Water Grid project will run across 13 European countries, and the 22 partners involved are being coordinated by the Westcountry Rivers Trust.
We visit the National Perry Pear Collection in Gloucestershire, as it's the season for pressing fruit to make perry. Thecollection has just won an award from the Campaign for Real Ale and Cider.
The sugar beet campaign, or harvest, is underway but farmers are looking ahead to lower prices next year.
Presenter: Anna Hill
Producer: Sarah Swadling
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Broadcast
- Wed 22 Oct 202505:45BBC Radio 4
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