7.6 Sustainability or survival
This is the background against which farmers in the mid Rangitikei are trying to plan for the future. Sustainability may be a word, and an ideal, in their vocabulary but for many the effort is in survival, not in thinking about the future. Treading water rather than concentrating on the future is a more apt description of the status quo. One farmer suggested that these years could perhaps, be described as "the wasted years" because people are not living, farming, to their potential.
There is a noticeable lack of a catalyst or coordinator (a leader) who can identify the factors that are inhibiting people from realising this potential, a person or organisation who can explore the steps which might be taken to ensure that people can take advantage of any opportunities which may present.
The Community Education Officer for Ruapehu REAP is a member of a third generation local farming family. Her thinking about where farming is going is coloured by her upbringing, education, her own, and her family’s values and beliefs about farming. "I’ve never clearly articulated it - [but] when you’re at risk of losing it - that’s what it feels like - losing your turangawaewae. This whole race of people have no other place to stand, to be."
Her comments about farming endorse many of the comments we heard, though few articulated their doubts, or the issues as clearly. "They are sensing that it’s just not another trough or cyclical phase. To move from the traditional way of viewing the world and trying to face reality nowadays is a mind set leap. They are not receiving the support, nor assistance, to deal with this change, nor having opportunities to discuss or learn or even identify this process, and work out how best to handle it."
The changes that were made to the farming sector in the 1980s were designed to make the industry efficient and sustainable, not obsolete. The impact of those changes continues in the Rangitikei, and it is a testimony to many of the farm families that their resilience is so strong they are surviving. But there are fundamental changes occurring. "What we’ve been raised with has no validity - that’s the essence. People are in crisis facing this notion." "Farmers wanted a place in the world where there would be security for their children - that’s threatened."
The diagram of sustainability shown earlier has three equal circles (shown at left). [ see description in methodology] However, overemphasis on economic aspects has meant neglected consideration of the social aspects. This has led to an imbalance (shown at right) in emphasis. Too little attention is paid, and too few resources are allocated, to the key drivers of sustainability
Diagram 7.1
"His father broke that land in... His family have lived here for three generations." This knowledge, and the beliefs about how important and priceless this is, are the basis of social reality for farm families - the drivers and values - which give meaning to and underpin people’s lives, and shape relationships of people to the land,. Farming policy needs to take them into account when considering sustainability, as well as economic rationality and ‘logic’. That in itself requires a mental leap to change a mind set.
The link with land has hindered understanding of opportunities to diversify outside agriculture. Sustainability is primarily about maintaining resources - especially land and water – and there is a need for a move into other businesses less dependent on non-renewable resources. Greater use of new technologies would greatly assist in diversifying.
Part 8: Conclusions
8.1 Introduction
The pictures, and learning, gained from the snapshot of farm families, power relationships and structures in the mid-Rangitikei have implications for the farming sector and all those involved. There are implications for farmers, farm families, ‘the community’, local and national government. In this Part each of these ‘target groupings’ is explored, and the implications for sustainability examined.
Whether one accepts the arguments proposed in 7.3 or believes sheep and beef farming in the mid-Rangitikei to be simply in a down cycle, there are implications to be considered if only because many farmers are worried. A number are considering selling their farms, and/or leaving farming altogether, "if only they knew what else to do". Others have weathered, they believe, the worst of the storm and will ride it through. There is not a pattern to this exit/stay mix of farmers, farm families. Thoughts of leaving are from those who are ‘successful’, as well as those less so. Decisions are being based on external factors, such as the financial institutions, for some and for others it is internal to the family; for most it is a mix.
It may be that farmers who are not productive, who are not happy, need to leave the industry. "What the hell are these people doing in farming?" one official asked when told of some of the stories. And we were told the apocryphal story of the baby born crying. "He’s going to be a farmer, the parents were told - he’s already crying." But the ‘crying’ is wide spread and backed by economic analysis. There is an economic downturn in this area in farming. This is accompanied by an emotional downturn for many people - a state of anomie.
The stories from the mid-Rangitikei illustrate, however, that what is happening is more than a downturn. More farms are for sale and more are on the market at any one time than ever before; more farmers are struggling just to stay afloat "we have to do more to stay even - what’s the limit?" It is obvious there need to be some changes. Whose responsibility is it to initiate discussion of possibilities; to be coordinator, catalyst, carrot and provocateur?
There are a number of challenges being made to the old or traditional logic of farming, for several reasons. Farmers, by definition, live with risk. Even in ‘the good old days’ "when farmers used to be farmers - where you put on your gumboots and sloshed about" - risk was an accepted part of everyday life. The risks nowadays - of constant change, less backing, and minimal governmental involvement, seem to be getting increasingly heavy, for some. The irony is that when one loses confidence it is harder to take risks. One of the most telling comments about the impact of the 1980s changes was made by a farmer about farming in the valley where he lives: "conservatism has come out on top - innovation means taking a risk".
If the following areas were addressed the destructive effects of anomie could be avoided, and stress reduction would have a positive effect on adaptation to change, and improve sustainability.
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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