A future for food security

Editorial & Letters|Thursday, Feb 2 2012 | Free article|Subscribe for full access

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By Tony Loffler, Pyap

If 'food security' means the ability to purchase:

• Australian grown quality produce at a sustainable price.

• Food which has employed Australians in it production processing and marketing.

• Food which generates income which supports the Australian community, then the future with the impact of the MDBA plan could be quite different.

If there is less water available to produce food for Australia and products like citrus, almonds and wine for export, then there will be more imported food and less export income to spend in the community.

Hardcore environmentalists claim more water is needed to return the river system to a healthy condition, but seem to be shy on being accountable for the volumes of water used and reluctant to investigate engineering possibilities to maximise the effect of the water used.

The ideas of "use and re-use" or "pump in and drain out," and "flow in and pump out" do not rate a mention.

Irrigators have to account for all their water consumed using technically advanced application methods and monitoring systems.

Yes, we do all need an environmentally healthy river, but on whose assessment and numbers?

We were told it would take five years of average river system inflows for the storages to return to long term average seasonal levels.
We were also told that wildlife, especially bird life was doomed.

Two good inflow seasons have restored storages to above average levels and bird breeding cycles have also returned.

The Murray-Darling Basin communities have battled drought, with considerable pressure on irrigators’ financial returns and causing the departure of some growers and the creation of some gaps in irrigation areas.

The communities have an on-going battle with commodity prices and this has led to more departures, more gaps and more pressure on the service industries and local retail shops.

If there is to be more cuts and increased insecurity to the water supply then there will inevitably be:

• More gaps.

• More service providers and retail businesses under stress.

• More empty shops.

• Less community support services, less volunteers available for CFS and SES etcetera.

• A decline in public sector services provided, for example health, schools and policing.

Does this sound like gloom and doom?

Unfortunately it could well be our reality.

If you think you will be unaffected by any further reductions to the availability of water for irrigators then I encourage you to reconsider your circumstances.

If you have been or will be affected by the changes to date and any further changes that are likely under the MDB plan, I encourage you to attend the MDBA meeting to be held in our region to have your say and show your support for the many people who have been representing you, endeavouring to gain a more secure future for you and your business.