Pathways to climate resilience: Adaptation of dairy farm systems in response to climate changes

Abstract

Changes in climate across New Zealand (NZ) require ongoing adaptation strategies for pasture-based dairy farmers to remain productive, resilient and economically viable. In this study we explored strategies that NZ dairy farmers are using to adapt their systems to changes in regional climate. This research used a qualitative semi-structured interviews to conduct case study research on seven dairy farms throughout NZ. The case study farmers noted more variable regional climate with changes such as warmer winters with less frosts, more frequent and serious flooding events, longer dry periods interspersed with more intense rainfall events, heat in summer, and increased wind intensity during storms. They used a range of adaptation strategies in response to regional climate changes. These strategies can be classified as a) enhancing system robustness through lowering stocking rates to increase feed buffers, b) increased adaptability through greater responsiveness to significant events such as floods, or c) transformative change such as moving to whole season once-a-day milking or investing in housing infrastructure. The case studies highlight that farmers already need support from agricultural research, extension and policy to increase their adaptive capacity to more variable and extreme weather; this is now a current, rather than future, issue