Irrigation NZ has launched SMART Irrigation so irrigators can do more to manage their environmental footprint.
SMART, which stands for sustainably managed, accountable, responsible and trusted, is about designing irrigation systems to industry standards and codes of practice, checking irrigation performance annually and justifying the reasons for irrigation.
Irrigation NZ chief executive Andrew Curtis said record-keeping would be central to SMART proving the three steps were being achieved.
The SMART framework would help irrigators meet public expectations about environmental responsibility and provide assurance to the public that irrigating farmers were using water efficiently and with care, Curtis said.
The focus would be on efficient water use and regular auditing and technological improvements. That would be supported by evolving education and training resources and accreditation programmes provided by Irrigation NZ.
The SMART Irrigation website, smartirrigation.co.nz, is about to be launched. It will provide information to the public about how irrigation in NZ works: why, how and where irrigation takes place; why it is beneficial; what regulations and policies oversee it; with more details on the SMART framework and examples of SMART irrigators to be added monthly.
Curtis said Irrigation NZ had done nationwide polling and found that the majority of New Zealanders, 71%, supported sustainable irrigation, just as there was strong demand for more public information about irrigation practices.
The SMART Irrigation website and framework would respond to that, he said.
