Meetings to help farmers' resilience

Lyn Neeson

A year after the June flood, farmers need to be preparing for the next extreme weather event, says Ruapehu-Wanganui Rural Support Trust co-ordinator Lyn Neeson.

The flooding in Porirua and Palmerston North after torrential rain on May 5 was a reminder.

"It just illustrates that all the predictions are that this sort of weather event will become more severe."

Help is at hand for farmers, with five two-hour "resilience meetings" to be run by former Whanganui man Rob Mcnab on May 23-25.

Mr Mcnab was a clever facilitator who understood sheep and beef farms, Mrs Neeson said. He had spoken to small groups of severely affected farmers after the June flood and is a partner in farm consulting business Total Ag.

He'll give a short presentation at each of the meetings, with lots of information. After that, farmers can chip in with their own experiences.

"Did sowing grass seed across slip faces help? What about smoothing the bottom of slips with a bulldozer? Were willows in waterways a help or a hindrance? They can see what others think," said Mrs Neeson.

The Ministry for Primary Industries is funding the meetings. It wants farmers to make their properties more resilient to severe weather events.

Mrs Neeson said for some this might mean converting eroding hill country to manuka for honey production. Or it might be changing where tracks, fences and culverts are put.

After each discussion there will be either a light meal or afternoon tea, and in the afternoons, a cash bar.

The meetings are at Waverley's rugby club rooms from 9am-11am on May 23, then the Ngamatapouri Club from 2pm-4pm the same day.

On May 24, they move to the Okoia Hall from 9-11am, then the Rangatira Golf Course from 2pm-4pm. The last meeting, on May 25, is at Raetihi's Cosmopolitan Club from 9am-11am.

For more information, ring Harry Matthews on 021 074 4565.