"IrrigationNZ says initial reports suggest more than 800 irrigators across Canterbury are severely damaged and will need to be repaired or written off following Tuesday’s big wind.
“The extent of damage to centre pivots and other irrigators across the region is unprecedented. This is an extremely serious situation as we simply don’t have enough parts to repair all of these machines in New Zealand. We’re looking at a six to eight week time lag before parts arrive and then a similar timeframe before repairs can be completed. If we experience a dry spring, the consequences could be dire for many Canterbury farmers as irrigation will effectively be stymied,” says IrrigationNZ CEO Andrew Curtis."
When you specialize, you become vulnerable. There's a very significant difference between 'robust' and 'resilient'. Our supermarkets are becoming very specialized, highly-tuned 'technologies'. They are, like the irrigation systems, vulnerable to natural forces in a way that should make people think twice about using them as a primary source of food supply.
12 comments:
It’s not just irrigation that is affected, there was also a problem with pumping water to stock. Surely well prepared farmers should have 2-3 days water storage for stock water. You’d think Canterbury farmers especially would be conscious of the vulnerability of power supplies. Federated Farmers promote the image of NZ farmers as practical, no 8 wire types in contrast to the dependent, vulnerable townies. However these big dairy farms have more in common with large factories than they do with the classic NZ farmer.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9152300/Farmers-hit-hard-by-wild-winds
Yep. And, we don't have enough skilled people in NZ to repair them. Expect an influx of overseas workers to do the repairs.
Yep. And, we don't have enough skilled people in NZ to repair them.
Actually, we probably do. The problem is likely to be partly about patents (can't produce the needed parts ehere even though we have the skills to do so) and partly about keeping those people unemployed so as to keep wages down.
...which is even more sinister, Draco, than AC's suggestion. Either way, becoming reliant on sophisticated technologies that can't be maintained locally, is inviting trouble.
I thought the same thing when I saw the story about this...so very true in so many climatic extremes.....we only need to take a look at the last drought. I was pleased to see a farmer in the Wairarapa suggesting planting more trees that can double as shelter and stock food in times of drought.
Hi, Hootnz.
The greater worry is that a drought will eventuate and the unable-to-be-irrigated Canterbury pastures will wither and with it the dairy farmers livelihood. All that specialization has left its users very vulnerable in a way that wasn't the case when systems were less sophisticated and less fragile.
That's what we get.
Meawhile DOC pulled its submission on the Ruataniwha Dam. Instead of the 50 page report they prepared, they put forward a couple of paragraphs that did not reflect the content of the report. How did that happen?
How did that happen?
Lets ask the Minister, shall we?
Russel Norman flayed Nick Smith over this issue in the House today. David Cunliffe likewise, skewered Key over the copper issue. Key could barely deliver his 'funny stuff', but still did what he had to do to feed his idiot backbench. Parker too, drove the knife in with intelligent questioning.
It was about what could have reasonably been expected from Labour, a solid performance, rather than a spectacular one. Despite what some of much favourite right-wing bloggers (especially the religious ones) would have us believe, Cunliffe is not the messiah.
So all up, a good start, and considering that the Roy Morgan last sat at "...a Labour/Green coalition would win easily..." and there's a year to go and there are a range of platforms from which Labour and the Greens can beat on the government, a change looks very likely.
My sincere hope is that John Key accepts his fate and returns home to his previous life. Then his successor can suffer the same fate as Jenny Shipley, Mike Moore and Bill Rowling, the last three nightwatchman MPs, all resoundingly defeated.
Oops
First paragraph - "...much favourite..." = "...my favourite..."
Last paragraph - "MPs" = "PMs"
Yes, Cunnliffe was walking a steady line but that, combined with Russel's approach shows that the focused, intelligent path is the one they'll follow and if they keep to that, they will prevail.
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