A Nielsen Research survey commissioned by the Ministry for Primary Industries shows 92% of farmers are addressing environmental sustainability, up from 79% in 2009, but just 23% are focused on reducing greenhouse gases, a drop from 30%.
That is despite 63% of farmers agreeing or strongly agreeing human activity is contributing to climate change, up from 54% in 2009, but lower than the 82% of New Zealanders who believe human activity is contributing to climate change.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw says the survey results are consistent with expectations.
“The survey shows that farmers have a better understanding of what they are able to do on-farm to be more environmentally sustainable with the exception of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, an area where we know farmers feel they need more information and advice.”
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says the Government is developing resources for farmers and working with the sector to develop on-farm knowledge to help farmers reduce emissions.
He acknowledged that requires investment in infrastructure and means farmers must be financially viable.
The survey authors say there is uncertainty among farmers about the long-term impacts of climate change and the associated opportunities and risks.
“While farmers are taking action to be more environmentally sustainable, these are not necessarily the most effective actions or the action that has the greatest potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The authors say MPI needs to provided evidence-based science to increase acceptance of climate change and improve awareness of how to manage resulting severe weather events, both regionally and locally.
“Driving change through a ‘what I do impacts my community’ approach is important.”
One size does not fit all and MPI needs to develop initiatives that can be targeted according to farm type and region and involve industry, which is more trusted than government.
Solutions or initiatives need to be positive to get farmer buy-in.
“Encouraging successful technology transfer through positive incentives rather than negative, (such as) tighter monitoring and enforcement, is important.”
The survey found farmers are prepared to take steps to make their farms more environmentally sustainable by planting riparian strips and shelter belts, improving water quality and fertiliser management and more efficient irrigation systems.
Compared to the 2009 survey farmers are less focused on making their farms more resilient to severe weather (69% compared to 79%) but are working more on managing soil erosion and farm labour.
Financial management and profitability are considered a moderate or major focus by 89% of respondents in the next five years with more efficient water use an increased focus of 50%.
Half of those surveyed have little or no understanding of how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their farms with 25% having at least a reasonable understanding.
Just 14% of livestock farmers surveyed have estimated or calculated their emissions in the last two years though only 2% know the extent of their emissions.
The survey authors say helping farmers calculate their emissions must be a starting point before promoting reduction methods.
The main actions of those reducing their emissions are riparian planting, reducing stock numbers, using more efficient machinery and more efficient crop planting methods.
Fewer farmers have sought information in the last year on land management practices or climate change than in 2009, just 46% compared to 62%, with the main source industry events or field days followed by rural professionals and industry companies or suppliers.
“There is relatively low confidence in the quality, relevance and consistency of information about land management practices to improve resilience to severe weather patterns and climatic changes, particularly information from the Government,” the authors say.
“Generally, farmers appear pessimistic about climate change information presented from this source.”
The survey also showed 63% of farmers want more information or advice on improving their resilience to climate change.
But, to take the next step and implement emission reduction management, 58% require encouragement through financial assistance, incentives or subsidies. That is followed by viewing initiatives at work on other farms.
They also want clear government policy guidelines to help them act.
“Compared with 2009 fewer farmers feel the agricultural sector is doing enough to adapt to the environmental impacts of more severe weather patterns and changing climatic conditions, 63% compared with 67% in 2009,” the survey’s authors noted.
“This means there is an opportunity to communicate to farmers about how their on-farm decisions and actions can contribute to the effects undertaken across the region, NZ and the world.”
The on-line survey of 707 farmers and growers has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7%.
