Chairwoman Keri Johnston said following a review of the organisation’s activities the board has put renewed focus on solving the tension between the fundamental need for irrigation in a post-covid NZ and the sector’s increasingly restricted licence to operate.
Johnston said losing its flagship conference because of lockdown meant Irrigation NZ experienced significant financial loss creating reason to review, reset and refocus.
“As such, the board has restructured the organisation to reflect a new two-pronged approach to focus on advocacy at a national level, as well as deliver value on the ground in the regions,” she said.
Irrigation NZ will move its headquarters from Christchurch to Wellington and will appoint a new chief executive to lead the organisation from the capital city.
A new regional policy and planning manager has been created to assist members, regional councils and other local authorities and stakeholders on matters of policy as it affects irrigation, water and the primary sector on the ground across rural regions.
Current chief executive Elizabeth Soal has opted to take on this new role from her home-base of Oamaru once she ends her time as chief executive in September.
“As a nation we are embarking on the recovery phase of covid-19 and the dependability of irrigated production systems will be central to this with access to a reliable water supply critical to all communities,” Johnston said.
However, the general misunderstanding of the benefits and positive impacts of irrigation persist.
“Continued and often unbalanced messages strongly influence both central and local government in setting policy direction,” she explained.
“Irrigators are greatly concerned that their freedom to operate and ability to continue contributing to the wellbeing and economy of NZ is being threatened.”
Johnston said the irrigation sector acknowledges there are both real and perceived impacts of intensive farming on water quality.
Many irrigators take a proactive approach to improving environmental outcomes, proactively working with councils and the local community to improve water quality.
“The sector is well down a path towards good management practice and is committed to not only achieve, but better this goal,” Johnston said.
“This will ensure our food and fibre production remains in demand globally whilst capturing local community support and further developing pride in our primary industries.
“Irrigation is a critical component of a vibrant and environmentally sustainable agricultural and horticultural economy and we will work hard towards ensuring that irrigation remains an integral part of a healthy and thriving Aotearoa NZ.”
An important part of the organisational changes is about being best positioned to articulate on behalf of, and advocate for, an industry not well understood across all levels of government, business and non-governmental organisations.
“We are confident about this renewed focus and are excited about the opportunities for the sector and our rural regions where irrigation is such a cornerstone,” she said.
Irrigation NZ is a not-for-profit national-level organisation representing 3500 members across the irrigation sector, including irrigation schemes, individual farmer-irrigators and the irrigation service sector.
Irrigating farmers represent 800,000 hectares of NZ’s farmland, directly contributing about $5.4 billion annually to GDP.
