September 14 2011

IAF marks new era for community irrigation development

IrrigationNZ welcomes government’s “open for business” status of the Irrigation Acceleration Fund (IAF), marking a new era of community irrigation infrastructure development in New Zealand.

The future is based around collaborative development through a multi stakeholder approach to ensure tangible benefit is realised by all. The IAF recognises the importance of the future upgrade and development of irrigation in New Zealand.

“The new future is about three key principles ensuring new schemes are economically viable, environmentally sound and supported by the community,” IrrigationNZ chairman Graeme Sutton said.

The fund will allow greater engagement with the community ensuring those three principle pathways can be taken alongside the industry guidelines for rural infrastructure good management practice.

Sound governance and overall project management, stemming from collaborative community engagement around the ‘good practice’ guidelines, is critical to future infrastructure development meeting environmental, community and economic expectation.

Infrastructure development taking in affordability, hydro/ecological/environmental, cultural and social benefit – all committed to good industry practice, including best practice environmental management while promoting efficient water use, will ensure smart irrigation development will contribute to New Zealand’s future economic growth, Sutton said

IrrigationNZ is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) through its Capability Building Project that includes facilitating workshops to bring together directories of information, experts and capabilities. The irrigator workshops have provided IrrigationNZ and MAF with valuable information about where the capability and resource gaps exist when community groups try to develop rural water infrastructure. It has become clear through the workshops that strategic planning alongside analysing and understanding risk are both key elements to successfully developing infrastructure.

As part of its work with the Ministry to ensure the key principles of smart irrigation infrastructure development, IrrigationNZ is building a resource package of codes of practice, tools, training and knowledge for best practice irrigation design, installation, operation and on-farm.

“Irrigators are fully understanding of the need to balance environmental and social protection with economic development. They well know that irrigation done properly will be very positive for the environment. This resource package is about creating reliable irrigation and better irrigation practice.”

IrrigationNZ’s focus on Audited Self Management also fits the key principles for smart irrigation.

The Irrigation Acceleration Fund was announced in this year’s Budget and provides $35 million over five years to support the development of proposals to the ‘investment ready’ prospectus stage. NZIER research suggests the fund could support 340,000ha of new irrigation, which could boost exports by $1.4 billion a year by 2018, rising to $4 billion a year by 2026.

The fund will support regional scale rural water infrastructure proposals that address regional rural water infrastructure, community irrigation schemes and strategic water management studies. The government will contribute up to 50% through the fund to successful proposals. Applications will be assessed by MAF, with input from a panel of independent experts. The final decision will be made by the Director General of MAF.

Sutton said government’s move to provide leadership and a more consistent framework for supporting further development of reliable irrigation was exciting for New Zealand.

“It’s about providing social and economic resilience to both urban and rural communities. This is not just about water for irrigators – this is about multi-purpose water development projects that will grow the economy with tangible benefits for everyone,” Sutton concluded.

Irrigation NZ

Irrigation NZ is the national body representing all irrigation interests in a unified voice to promote excellence in irrigation development and efficient water management based on the principles of responsible and sustainable water management throughout New Zealand.

ENDS

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