The need for structure, coordination and patience

It’s been just over a week since Cyclone Gabrielle struck New Zealand, affecting the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne in particular. In several areas of these two regions, the devastation to people, houses, land, businesses and infrastructure is immense. Recovery will take years – just like it has taken Christchurch more than a decade after the 2011 earthquakes. Even then, it will not necessarily be a return to how it was before the cyclone struck.

Industries like ours are only now starting to be able to think about and plan the recovery. Up until now, the focus has been on making sure people are accounted for and are safe, as you would expect.

As it has now been over a week, where possible, it is important that growers and those helping them take some sort of break and look after themselves and the others around them, as there is much work ahead. I know this might seem impossible, but it is vital for morale and stamina. For those after advice in this area, there’s the Rural Support Trust and Farmstrong.

The Government has asked us for detailed information about the impact on horticulture, both short and long term, of all the recent weather events, but particularly in the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne. This information will be overlaid with GIS data and imagery that the Government is gathering through Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and satellite imagery. 

The long-term impact will be hard to estimate as it depends on how the land, trees and vines respond. In some cases, the land may never be grown on again or it will take several years for it to return to a stage where trees, vines and vegetables can be replanted and grown.

Need for structure and coordination

Everyone wants to help, that is only natural. However, that help needs to be coordinated on the ground, with almost military precision, given the scale of the impact and the challenges the clean-up and recovery pose. 

The offers of support and advice from around New Zealand have been overwhelming, in more ways than one. The huge volume of support is a credit to our country, however, on the ground, it could prove overwhelming if it is not structured and coordinated, both in the short and long term. 

As an industry, we must talk to Government with one voice, remembering that our industry is one of several voices that need to be clearly heard. That is, if the various regional recoveries are to go as smoothly and as efficiently as possible and make a real difference to people’s livelihoods and lives. 

In the Hawkes Bay – the worst area affected by Cyclone Gabrielle – New Zealand Apples and Pears Incorporated (NZAPI) is doing a superb job on the ground, supported by HortNZ and other product groups with growers in that area. There is a lot of product group and district association activity and support taking place in areas such as Gisborne, Northland, Pukekohe and the Bay of Plenty. The challenge is to coordinate this activity and maintain the support and momentum over the next several months. 

If you have equipment, supplies, or labour available to share or you want to offer help to affected growers, in whatever shape or form, use the NZAPI resource finder portal: https://www.nzapifinder.co.nz/ Growers can also ask for specific help through the portal.

Further resources, support and donation links can be found on the ‘Cyclone Gabrielle – Grower support’ webpage on HortNZ’s website: https://www.hortnz.co.nz/flood-support/

Looking further ahead

We must remain together as an industry, and support those growers affected by all the adverse weather events that have culminated in Cyclone Gabrielle. Growers are resilient but there are limits, that I want no grower to test.

Please reach out and to those not directly affected, please make it a priority over the coming months to reach in, check on wellbeing and offer help, but in the most coordinated way possible. Product groups and district associations will play a significant and ongoing role here.

In terms of working with the Government on the national response, HortNZ will continue to share information and coordinate data and information requests. This is a reflection of HortNZ’s industry-wide role as well as the Government’s expectation that it talks to one representative body, particularly in times of crisis and recovery. 

The recovery will take years and for it to be successful, several fundamentals like food supply and security will need to be looked at. Some tough decisions will have to be made, and there will need to be vision, planning and coordination.

There will also need to be patience – among those in the thick of the recovery as well as those in a position to help.

Our industry does have a bright future, however, it will need to change. We have the ability to change and be successful again. But at the moment, we must focus on those people and areas most affected by this devastating weather event, and be patient with everything else.