Climate change, extreme weather farmers’ main concern for next decade - primary sector leaders

Extreme weather events such as flooding and cyclones have been increasingly causing concern for farmers in recent years. Photo / Warren Buckland.

RNZ

The biggest drivers affecting land use in Aotearoa in the next decade have been ranked by 280 leaders from agri-business, government and Māori business.

Climate change, extreme weather events and water quality were chosen by the participants as the biggest challenges likely to affect agriculture.

The new research was funded by Our Land and Water National Science Challenges.

Research lead Timothy Driver of the Agribusiness and Economics Research department at Lincoln University said this year’s survey (taken in mid-2023) showed Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent weather events were front of mind for many in the primary sector due to their impact - costing an estimated $2 billion of damage to the food and fibre sector.

“This research captures the zeitgeist of the New Zealand primary sector very well,” Driver said.

“We’ve had significant world and domestic events captured, particularly the unprompted part.

“That part reveals quite prominently what’s on the minds of those working in primary production.”

Results show nearly all respondents cited climate change and extreme weather events as major domestic concerns, followed closely by water quality and agricultural policy.

It showed the most pressing international issues were greenhouse gas emissions and trade agreements.

Driver said the primary sector had consistently held issues around environmental impact, production, climate change, and market issues quite high.

Research lead Timothy Driver of the Agribusiness and Economics Research department at Lincoln University. Photo / RNZ

“I think what this captures is the through-line of the thoughts of primary sector that these things are always of concern.”

And he said that changed with what had happened around the world during that year.

“Things move around, so for example in the previous iteration of this research, Covid-19 was really high in the priorities - and that’s completely dropped off the radar now.

“In the current iteration, we are now seeing a proliferation of concerns around geopolitics, international conflict, food security, and the market effects of geopolitical conflict.”

Driver said he hoped policy-makers would hear the concerns of the country’s primary sector in how it could better adapt to the changing climate.

- RNZ