The Welsh government’s flood review must look at inland as well as coastal flooding issues, according to NFU Cymru.

Wales’ minister for natural resources and food Alun Davies has announced a review of the damage to coastal flood defences and the effect on coastal communities.

But NFU Cymru is demanding the review is expanded to make sure it covers the issue of farmland flooding from inland waterways and considers river maintenance too.

Bernard Llewellyn, rural affairs board chairman, said: “Farmers are a resilient bunch, but the weather during the past 24 months has really tested us and it’s going to take a while for water-drenched land to recover from this recent exceptional weather.

“Llanbedr is an example of one of the areas severely affected by the storms and there is an urgent need for the breached sea defences in this and other areas of Wales to be repaired as soon as possible to prevent flooding at high tide again and a continual encroachment of saltwater onto productive farmland.

“When it comes to river maintenance we want to make it easier for farmers to carry out work themselves and receive funding to do that work. Getting the necessary consents is not always easy for farmers and we would look to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to streamline the process.”

Meanwhile, the Farmers’ Union of Wales is calling for farmland – as well as urban property – to be protected from flooding in its response to Natural Resources Wales’ consultation paper Planning our Future.

“We welcome NRW’s commitment to build, maintain and operate flood defences, but stress that it is not just the urban environment that needs to be protected, but also rural areas and agricultural land so food production is not threatened,” said FUW president Emyr Jones.

“We believe that, as agriculture is the predominant land use in Wales, recognition needs to be given to the role of agriculture in the management of water and the implications of flooding to food production in addition to property and the protection of the environment.”