Rural Support Trusts help to provide community resilience

Strong, resilient communities are important to the New Zealand economy.

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Agriculture and Forestry Minister Jim Anderton today praised the commitment of Rural Support Trusts. "They have been set up because of the havoc adverse weather events can wreak on a community. Over the years I've had the chance to witness a few of these events and their shocking aftermath," Jim Anderton said.

"There is often a deep scarring effect on communities − families get put under stress and pressure. Incomes dry up as farms cut back on expenditure. There is less local spending. And there are the emotional effects that linger long after the ground returns to its normal state. When this sort of thing happens, we need to work together across communities, and in partnership with central government, to put rural communities back on their feet."

Jim Anderton was speaking at the Rural Support Trust Conference in Wellington. "If primary production is going to continue to be the mainstay of our export industry, people need to know their community is resilient. To put it more bluntly, strong and resilient communities are important to our economy, just as they are important to the life of the individuals involved."

Twelve Rural Support Trusts currently exist around New Zealand, covering most of the country. A number have been around since the late nineteen eighties and early nineties.

"In this year's Budget the government put aside $1.25 million to support the development of local capacity to respond to adverse climatic events," Jim Anderton said. "The principle behind this support for the Trusts is that recovery can be supported by the government, but needs to be owned and delivered locally.

"So the government − and our entire community − is grateful for the rural network of mostly volunteers who put so much work into caring for rural people. We're grateful for people who have the strength to care," Jim Anderton said.

The Rural Support Trust Conference is run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. It provides a networking opportunity for those involved, as well as seeking input on MAF's proposed work programme to build rural capability over the next two years.