There are many benefits to irrigation but from a farmer or grower’s perspective, it’s mainly about maintaining soil health and increasing the value that can be obtained from the land. Reliable water means consistent production for existing growers and reduced risk for those looking to switch to a new, higher-value crop.
Irrigation is more than an insurance policy against droughts. To be truly effective it needs to increase value in normal seasons too such as allowing an additional crop rotation, increasing yield from a given crop, or improving the ability to finish a crop in time to meet market expectations.
It also has environmental benefits such as reducing soil erosion during drought, as well as reducing leaching of nutrients during the wet period that follows by permitting plants to continue nutrient uptake.
The flow on value from irrigation comes in the form of increased land values and options, greater employment opportunities as well as increased investment from the land-owner.
Land values within the Mid-North command area of the reservoir are currently valued between $30,000 to $50,000 per hectare, however irrigated land within the catchment of the Kerikeri Irrigation Scheme range between $115,000 to $135,000 per hectare.
A 2016 joint report from NIWA and Northland Regional Council showed that the Kerikeri irrigation scheme contributes more than $100 million per annum to the region’s GDP and supports employment of more than 1,300 FTEs.
The reservoirs are also expected to reduce medium term exposure to climate risks. NIWA predicts temperatures will rise in Northland increasing the risk of drought, in contrast, extreme rainfall events are likely to become more common.
You can register your interest in either scheme on the Kaipara and Mid North tabs on this site.