Friday, March 29, 2024

Researchers weigh in on freshwater rules

Neal Wallace
The one size fits all approach of the Government’s freshwater policies may be counter to its aims of improving water quality, according to researchers.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

A team from the University of Otago was interviewing farmers for a study on rural decision-making on biodiversity issues, but such was their concern about the impact of the Action for Healthy Water rules, the researchers shifted their focus to the impact of the legislation.

Associate Professor Sara Walton from the Department of Management at the university’s Otago Business School says it became apparent during the interviews that the policy would create unintended consequences.

“There is uncertainty around the way the policy statement is being enacted,” Walton said.

“The feeling is that the one-size blanket, top down approach will not meet the desired outcomes in terms of farm production or environmental outcomes.”

The researchers have interviewed 12 farmers in Otago and they are concerned about the compliance costs of the water legislation, and fear they are being disempowered.

Walton says the policy’s current approach removes the autonomy of farmers to manage their land using knowledge built up from multiple generations.

“Reading the transcripts, farmers feel as if they have not been listened to and they feel that policy requirements are unworkable on their land, land about which they have acquired knowledge and understanding over decades and often generations,” she said.

Those being interviewed told researchers they know owners of intergenerational family farms who are looking to sell rather than try to comply.

She says this could lead to corporate ownership, without the same family linkage to the land, or a change of land use to forestry, with environmental outcomes at odds with the policy’s intentions.

“As they (those being interviewed) tell us, intergenerational farmers know their land well and have been striving to farm sustainably for many years,” she said.

“They still have wetlands and thriving biodiversity in some cases, but now feel they are being penalised for this.”

The farmers in the study also warned that fencing off wetlands will allow weeds to thrive that had previously been controlled by light grazing.

Researchers say their work suggests the policymakers do not appreciate the implications of different farm types and multiple forms of ownership and the perverse incentives that could arise for some farmers.

Another issue highlighted in the interviews was concern about farmer wellbeing.

This stems from stress and tension from having to comply with a policy they believe will not work, but also from being universally labelled as environmental vandals.

“Everyone has been lumped together as dirty farmers and some are suffering as a result,” she said.

The degree of concern about the freshwater policies has prompted the researchers to seek funding to undertake further research.

Walton says they want to look at alternative policy or market mechanisms, the way farmers identify with the land and how that affects their management.

The research group included Walton, Associate Professor Janice Lord from the Botany Department, Dr Viktoria Kahui from the Department of Economics and research assistant Aleisha Lord.

Walton says if they extend their research, they may add a mental health researcher to the team.

Suffering from depression or stress, or know someone who is? Where to get help:

RURAL SUPPORT TRUST: 0800 RURAL HELP

DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757

LIFELINE: 0800 543 354

NEED TO TALK? Call or text 1737

SAMARITANS: 0800 726 666

YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 or text 234

Total
0
Shares
People are also reading