Under the spotlight this week is SDG #6: Clean Water and Sanitation. This is a goal that is focused on the health of people and the health of the environment, ensuring that water is clean and safe, as well as used efficiently. We take a look at what SDG #6 is about, why it is important for agriculture, and how farmers in New Zealand are having an impact towards SDG #6 through on-farm and community actions.
What is SDG #6 about?
SDG #6 seeks to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Targets under this goal are focused on areas such as:
- Achieving safe and equitable access to drinking water for all,
- Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe use globally,
- Substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity,
- Implement integrated water management at all levels,
- Protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and lakes,
- Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.
SDG #6 has strong emphasis on people and planet, ensuring that the health of people and the health of the environment are prioritised and are able to sustain each other. This SDG has strong linkages to many others SDGs including:
- SDG #1: No Poverty
- SDG #3: Good Health and Wellbeing
- SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG #12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG #13: Climate Action
- SDG #14: Life Below Water
- SDG #15: Life on Land
- SDG #17: Partnerships for the Goals
Why is SDG #6 important for agriculture?
While SDG #6 is important to New Zealand agriculture for many reasons to do with the health of people and the environment, it is also important for the ability of the agricultural sector to have social licence to operate. Water health and quality is a highly emotive topic, and social perception of the guardianship of our water resources by the agricultural sector is something that New Zealanders care deeply about. Swimable rivers, clean drinking water, reduced pollution, water quantity, and more, are all of importance to New Zealanders, both rural and urban. While the agricultural sector is not the only player in ensuring clean water and sanitation in New Zealand, we do have a responsibility to make sure that we are working towards SDG #6 and other SDGs that relate to clean water and sanitation targets. This responsibility is not just in response to social perception, but in doing good business and building a sustainable sector that is better for the health of people and the environment than it may have been in the past.
How are New Zealand farmers working towards SDG #6?
New Zealand farmers are taking great actions towards SDG #6 in how they go about farming practices and managing their farming businesses. Continuous improvement, as well as maintaining the actions that are already being taken, will continue to ensure that the agricultural sector is a sector that prioritises SDG #6, the health of people, and the health of the environment.
So, how are New Zealand farmers doing this?
Good management practices
The adoption of good management practices in a farming system has a tangible impact on SDG #6, particularly in relation to reducing pollution and increasing water use efficiency. Reducing losses of contaminants to the freshwater environment is being achieved through the management of nutrient and chemical application, as well as practices related to grazing. Good practice of winter grazing, having riparian buffers and stock exclusion are all examples of ways farmers are managing their farming systems that has a direct influence on SDG #6, as well as other SDGs. Good management practice for irrigation management also has an impact on SDG #6, particularly through the target of increasing water use efficiency and ensuring sustainable withdrawals.
In 2015, the major industry bodies in New Zealand’s primary sector released guidelines around ‘Industry-agreed good management practices related to water quality’. This sought to define good management practices for water quality that could be applied to all regions in New Zealand. These were defined in consultation with farmers, rural professionals and industry representatives
Environmental Actions
Farmers are also impacting SDG #6 through the target of protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes. Environmental actions taken on farm are a key way that farmers are contributing to this goal. We are seeing a rise in focus on ecosystem restoration and management, through the management of wetlands, riparian areas and waterways, as well as restoration projects of wetland remnants on farms, riparian planting and other biodiversity projects. Environmental actions for SDG #6 can also be related to good management practices, as mentioned above, which have a positive impact on protecting water-related ecosystems.
Catchment groups
We are seeing a focus on SDG #6 in how catchment groups are allowing for participation of local communities in the management of water resources, and in the protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems. The rise of community-level focus on water quality is something that continues to have positive impacts towards SDG #6, as well as others such as SDG 14: Life Below Water, and SDG #15: Life on Land. The collaborative nature of catchment groups, the community-level focus, local solutions, community and multi-generational engagement, and so much more, is a real strength of how these groups are prioritising actions that impact towards many of the Sustainable Development Goals.