Federated Farmers: Summer's dry still biting

Federated Farmers is heavily involved with the drought relief response in the South Island. Photo / John Stone

The impact of the mainland drought is still unfolding and is likely to have implications for many farmers who've had little or no access to water for several months.

It seems improbable that I can get through a column without promoting the virtues of water and storage for sustainable food production. My tendency to promote water is perhaps as predictable as the likelihood of another drought in the immediate future.

We all know we have a bountiful supply of water in New Zealand, but how we utilise it is going to be pivotal to our future as an agricultural superpower.

That is easier said than done and depends on developing new technologies as well as the path local authorities choose. There is clearly a lot of debate to be had.

In this edition of The National Farming Review, we have a drought theme. We talk to mainland farmers who are affected and have commentary from a scientific perspective towards drought mitigation and future planning for such events.

Federated Farmers, as you might be aware, is heavily involved with the drought relief response in the South Island.

This scenario, of course, is familiar to North Island farmers who have suffered several dry years in a row with the subsequent impact, an enduring memory of why we need to develop a plan for future drought mitigation.

Professor Jacqueline Rowarth eloquently discusses this on page seven, highlighting the importance of developing sustainable farming methods and a role for what she calls a "leadership" for farming water.

Niwa chief scientist Dr Andrew Tait, meanwhile, predicts a greater intensity of droughts in the future, and it's clear what worked for farmers in the past is not likely to suffice in the future.

The next few months leading into winter are a crucial time for any farmers, let alone when dealing with drought. The losses for some mainland farmers will be significant, but as you will read there are support networks and resilience techniques farmers can adapt to.

I wish farmers all the best for the coming winter and fingers crossed the eastern South Island farmers get some respite soon.