1 Introduction
Irrigation efficiency is a key issue in the achievement of sustainable irrigated agriculture because maximising efficiency will significantly contribute to minimising the environmental impacts of water abstraction and drainage. Irrigation efficiency is an outcome of how farmers manage their irrigation systems on a day to day basis. Attempts to improve efficiency must therefore be based on a clear understanding of farmer perceptions of the need for higher efficiency and the practicalities of meeting the need. The purpose of this project was to establish where farmers are at, with respect to irrigation management, where they are coming from, where they perceive they need to be, how they think they will get there, and what they think they need to be able to get there.
In addition to providing a better understanding of what is holding up the adoption of more efficient irrigation practices, this project also sought to provide information about the extent and nature of irrigation in the regions surveyed. At present there is no up to date information about the state of irrigated agriculture in New Zealand, even in those regions where farmers depend heavily on irrigation for financial risk management.
The project was a logical extension to a recently completed Sustainable Management Fund project1. This work highlighted the potential impacts irrigated agriculture could have on groundwater quality. More importantly the study identified that improved on-farm water management would significantly reduce these impacts (actual and potential). While technology exists for increasing irrigation efficiency, it is not widely used. In contrast to many previous attempts to address this problem, this proposal sought to find out farmers perceptions of the problem, and its solution, as the basis of further work to achieve a widespread increase in irrigation efficiency.
1.1 OBJECTIVES
- Determine the types of approaches currently being used to manage irrigation in the main irrigation districts.
- Determine the prevalence of each type of approach.
- Determine the type of irrigation management approach that farmers perceive will best help them to manage their irrigation efficiently, the constraints or limitations that currently prevent them from implementing this approach, and the information they need to make adoption of this approach feasible.
- Obtain information on the area of land irrigated in the 1996/97 irrigation season, the extent to which specific irrigation methods are used, and the quantity of water used in this season.
2 Methods
2.1 POSTAL SURVEY
A postal survey of all farmers who hold resource consents to take water for irrigation, or who are supplied by an irrigation company, was conducted to provide the information needed to meet the first two elements of the objective. Addresses were obtained for consent holders from Regional Councils for all districts in which there is significant irrigation development, except for one district. Copies of the questionnaire were sent to each irrigation company, which then distributed it to each member.
The questionnaire was substantially based on a questionnaire used by MAF in the mid 1980s for a similar purpose.
The survey was planned to occur at the end of April, so that information about water usage in the current season could be obtained. The bulk of the questionnaires were sent out in May/June because of delays in obtaining address lists and the late inclusion of extra districts to take the place of the region which did not wish to participate.
The information in each questionnaire received was coded and entered into a database and spreadsheet for subsequent analysis. The responses were analysed using simple descriptive statistics.
2.2 FOCUS GROUPS
Fourteen focus groups were used to obtain qualitative information from irrigators from around New Zealand on issues related to the sustainable and efficient management of irrigation systems and water resources. The overall aim was to:
"gain a clear understanding of farmer perceptions of the need for higher efficiency (of water use) and the practicalities of meeting this need".
In addition, useful insights were gained into farmer views on water resource management issues in general.
The ground rules for the focus groups were:
- confidentiality - anything that was said would not go outside the room to identify the person who had said it;
- confidentiality - the names of the participants in the group would be kept confidential;
- everyone gets a say;
- speak freely;
- say anything as long as it’s inoffensive;
- behaviour within bounds of propriety;
- focus group facilitator, Agriculture New Zealand and Lincoln Environmental staff to remain neutral on the topics discussed and could not pass judgements.
These ground rules established the basis for the high level of input.
Details of the dates, timing and location of the fourteen groups is given in Table . The location and number of groups was selected to provide a fairly even geographical spread, with roughly one focus group for every 400 to 500 irrigators surveyed by post.
Irrigators were selected by Agriculture New Zealand staff in local offices, who were asked to include a representative range of farm, soil and irrigator types from within their district. At least twelve irrigators were expected at each meeting, but actual attendance was poor in several cases.
The proceedings of the focus groups were taped with the knowledge of the participants and this, in association with the written record, formed the basis of the information used in this report.
The questions to be discussed were established from the project brief provided by MAF Policy in light of a preliminary assessment of the information being provided by the postal questionnaires. The questions included:
- Location, type and size of farming enterprise.
- Soil types, irrigation type and proportion of farm irrigated.
- Reasons for irrigating.
- Irrigation management practises used and limitations.
- Sources and usefulness of information on irrigation.
- How irrigators define irrigation efficiency and sustainabilty.
- What information, research and investment is needed in the future.
- Relationships with regional authorities regarding water resource issues.
- Particular local issues.
Table 2.1 Summary of Focus Groups
| District | Location | Date | Time | Number of Attendees |
| Auckland | Pukekohe | 11 July | Morning | 4 |
| South Auckland | Pukekohe | 11 July | Afternoon | 5 |
| Nelson | Appleby | 22 July | Evening | 11 |
| Malborough | Blenheim | 22 July | Afternoon | 7 |
| North Canterbury | Rangiora | 21 July | Afternoon | 5 |
| Central Canterbury | Lincoln | 7 July | Afternoon | 2 |
| Central Canterbury | Kirwee | 7 July | Evening | 10 |
| Mid Canterbury | Ashburton | 10 July | Evening | 6 |
| Mid Canterbury | Ashburton | 21 July | Evening | 4 |
| South Canterbury | Pleasant Point | 10 July | Afternoon | 5 |
| Waitaki Plains | Glenavy | 9 July | Afternoon | 7 |
| North Otago | Maheno | 9 July | Evening | 8 |
| Maniototo | Ranfurly | 15 July | Evening | 7 |
| Central Otago | Alexandra | 15 July | Afternoon | 5 |
Dr Colin Wells (Agriculture New Zealand Ltd) attended all fourteen focus groups either as the facilitator or as a recorder. Groups not facilitated by Dr Wells were conducted by John Greer, Dennis Crone or Ian Blair (Agriculture New Zealand). The focus group facilitator’s role was to introduce discussion points, ensure that the ground rules were adhered to and, in addition, to direct discussion where necessary to achieve greater in-depth debate as required. Other staff from Lincoln Environmental and Agriculture New Zealand attended some groups as recorders or observers.
To begin with participants were generally nervous about the proceedings. However, at the end of the focus group, there was generally a positive attitude and participants were supportive of the process. The formal part of the focus groups ran for about 2 hours in each case.
1 Bright, J and Robb, C (1996): Sustainable irrigated agriculture project. Report No 2445. Lincoln Environmental, Lincoln University.
Contact for Enquiries
MAF Information Services
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
Fax: +64 4 894 0721
Contact this person
