So far we’re on track to design a practical and cost-effective system with farmers and growers rather than imposing it.
You might recall He Waka Eke Noa was launched late last year as a partnership between the primary sector, Maori and the Government.
Our goal is to equip farmers and growers with the tools to report, manage and reduce agricultural emissions and adapt to a changing climate while continuing to sustainably produce quality food and fibre products for domestic and international markets.
Some of you will be familiar with the common whakatauki or proverb, He Waka Eke Noa, which means we are all in this together.
While this whakatauki is widely used it is appropriate for this partnership because our role is to bring together the groups and people with a part to play in making this innovative approach work and not just for now but for our future generations as well.
Over the past few months, while attention has focused on the covid-19 pandemic, behind the scenes we have been paddling hard to get this waka going in the right direction.
The first focus has been to get the right crew.
We now have a steering group of experienced people from across the primary sector and from the Primary Industries and Environment Ministries. We also have a number of teams working on important policies and tools with every team bringing together smart people from the primary sector, the public service and those with specific Te Ao Maori expertise.
As we set up the tasks for these teams we had input from more than 140 experts, mostly in Zoom online video meetings during the lockdown, to work out what was already under way that we could build on and where there are gaps that need to be filled.
The partnership has committed to farmers and growers having farm plans that include actions to manage climate change and reduce or offset emissions.
We have also agreed to collaborate on the design of a farm-level emissions pricing mechanism to help incentivise action.
Our first hard deadline is to produce farm planning guidance for farmers and growers.
You’ll see this guidance by the end of this year.
It will look at climate change in the context of complete farming systems, business planning and integration with protecting freshwater health and biodiversity.
We are focused on making sure actions that deliver benefits for both freshwater health and emissions reduction are properly recognised.
We are also looking at how we can recognise the actions our farmers, growers and land owners are already taking, for example, through their QEII covenants, riparian planting and soil health practices and encourage further action to manage carbon on farms. Expect to hear more on that later this year.
A key step for farmers to take action to reduce their emissions is to first understand the emissions footprint from their farms.
This year you can also expect to see progress on an agreed set of methodologies and tools or calculators for determining your emissions number or footprint.
Some farmers and growers are already starting to calculate their emissions footprint. One of the most ambitious milestones for the programme is that all NZ farmers know their emissions number by the end of 2022.
Our other important priority is developing a short list of policy options for pricing agricultural emissions as an alternative to the Emissions Trading Scheme. We commit to making sure you will get the chance to comment on these options in the future.
Also on our agenda is increasing farm adviser capacity and capability and ways to recognise early adopters and adapters.
Over this year we will be involving farmers and growers through our partners including Beef + Lamb, DairyNZ, Horticulture NZ, Federated Farmers and the Federation of Maori Authorities. We’ll also be working with scientists, providers of emissions management systems, farm advisers, financiers and others.
We have a lot to do and we’re getting on with the job.
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You can find out more about He Waka Eke Noa through the partners Beef + Lamb, DairyNZ, the Dairy Companies Association, Federated Farmers, the Federation of Maori Authorities, Horticulture NZ, the Meat Industry Association, Apiculture NZ, Deer Industry NZ, the Foundation for Arable Research, Irrigation NZ, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Ministry for the Environment
See what’s available to help you know your emissions number or other practical information relating to climate change at the new Agmatters website www.agmatters.nz
Let us know your thoughts, email feedback@hewakaekenoa.nz
Who am I?
Michael Ahie is He Waka Eke Noa steering group chairman and Massey University chancellor. He is a former Plant and Food Research chairman, a director of FMG and chairman of Spring Sheep Milk Co and the New Zealand Plant Market Access Council. He grew up in a coastal South Taranaki farming community and has previous executive roles with Toyota NZ, the Dairy Board and Wrightson. He is of Taranaki, Ngaruahine Rangi and Ngati Ruanui descent.
