Extreme Weather a Critical Concern for Next Decade of Farming, Experts Say

One year after the widespread devastation caused by the catastrophic flooding of cyclone Gabrielle, a new report finds that primary sector experts are deeply concerned about the influence of extreme weather over the next decade of farming in New Zealand.

Climate change, extreme weather events and water quality are considered the three biggest challenges likely to affect agriculture in Aotearoa for the next 10 years, according to primary industry experts in a new study funded by Our Land and Water.

As part of the research, over 280 leaders in agribusiness and Māori enterprises, policymakers and academics were asked to rank over 70 international and domestic 'drivers' to understand how much they are expected to affect land use in Aotearoa in the upcoming decade. Examples of drivers investigated include nanotechnology, Māori values, and trade policy. Nearly all experts cited climate change and extreme weather events as the two most critical drivers.