In New Zealand
Greenpeace is targeting irrigation
Greenpeace activists are targeting sprinkler systems in New Zealand. By investing in irrigation technology, dairy farms can expand further, which in the eyes of the organization is disastrous for water quality. However, the agricultural sector sees it very differently.
On New Zealand's South Island, a huge plan is currently underway to provide farmers with adequate irrigation water. Greenpeace is targeting this 'Central Plains Water' plan. Friday 25 August locks activists protest in the pipeline, which should carry water from the Alps to the fertile agricultural area.
289
million
Using less groundwater
The government is contributing NZ$480 million to the program, equivalent to €289 million. According to Irrigation NZ, an organization that promotes the development of irrigation technology in the country, the plans and activities are in line with Greenpeace's demands. So says Andrew Curtis director of Irrigation NZ. The pipeline network ensures that excess meltwater from the Alps is transferred to the Central Plains, so that groundwater is no longer extracted for irrigation in that region.
In the first 2 seasons of the project, 60 million cubic meters of water was pumped. That is an upscaling of 45 million cubic meters for nearby regions.
Greenpeace conclusions incorrect
Greenpeace's claim that more irrigation leads to a further intensification of dairy farming, according to Curtis, is incorrect. About 50% of the farms in the Central Plains region are mixed farms, which, in addition to arable crops, also keep beef cattle and sheep and are active in viticulture.
"Greenpeace concludes that dairy farming is directly related to water pollution. That is incorrect," said Curtis. "Dairy farms have been dealing with stricter fertilization standards since last year. Leaching is strictly controlled, including the leaching of fertilizers. More than 3.000 companies have now joined these plans. Companies that want to grow are obliged to take action in the field of leaching. About 70% of all companies used a technique to regulate water consumption and administration in 2016. That was only 5% 20 years ago."
Tax on irrigation
"All the investment in pipelines and technology, which helps to use less water, has reduced water consumption by about 20% per year," says the man from Irrigation NZ. However, according to the director, it will take years before the benefits are reflected in nature and water quality. Action was taken too late for that.
Farmers who irrigate may face a tax on water in the future. For the 6.000 irrigation installations in the Canterbury region, this means NZ$40 million per year. Money that is invested to deliver cleaner water. Exactly how the money should be spent is still a political point of discussion.
The problem is not with agriculture
The biggest problem, according to Curtis, is the illegal discharge of wastewater. The water quality is therefore poor, especially in densely built-up areas. Not in the countryside. According to Greenpeace, 34.000 people in the Canterbury region get sick every year because of polluted water. "Official figures are no further from 8.600 for all of New Zealand," said Curtis. However, the government does not describe where the water comes from.
The irrigation man advises activists to focus on the illegal wastewater being discharged and the water quality around cities. He already realizes that this is not an achievable goal. "It doesn't fit Greenpeace's picture, because they see dairy farming and irrigation as the cause of all problems. A very simplistic approach to a complex problem and factually incorrect."
Niels van der Boom
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