Emergencies don't always announce themselves. Floods, fires, storms and a host of other natural, and sometimes unnatural, disasters hit rural communities hard — and when they do, the difference between chaos and coordinated response often comes down to one thing: whether people already know each other and have a plan.
That's exactly what a growing number of catchment groups around New Zealand have been discovering through a series of emergency preparedness workshops — and the feedback from farmers and landowners who've attended has been overwhelmingly positive. The workshops and Farm Emergency Plan template were created by Taranaki Catchment Communities, as part of their Good Farm modules. They received funding from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to deliver the workshops and partnered with the NZ Landcare Trust (NZLT) to coordinate nine workshops across the country at the beginning of the year.
Built for farmers, by people who understand rural life
The workshops draw on practical, farm-focused resources — including a Farm Emergency Plan template, grab bag checklists, and an understanding of civil defence — and are tailored to each community's specific needs and concerns. There's no one-size-fits-all agenda. The facilitator, Lee Cowan, adapted on the day based on what the group most wanted to work through, whether that's personal and on-farm preparedness, understanding how agencies like CDEM and RST fit into an emergency response, or how your catchment group can play a role even without a formal mandate.
What farmers are saying
The results speak for themselves. Across nine workshops held nationwide, 100% of content was rated Excellent or Very Good — and nine out of ten participants said they gained "a lot" of knowledge from the day.
But it's the participant comments that really capture the value:
"Awesome workshop!! Given lots of ideas to go forward with."
"Amazing facilitator, great knowledge and passion."
Participants consistently highlighted the practical takeaways — especially the Farm Emergency Plan template, which many were surprised to learn could also help reduce insurance premiums. Just as valued was the chance to sit in a room with local CDEM representatives, MPI on farm support, Rural Support Trust staff, and neighbours — building the relationships that make a real difference when things go wrong.
9 Workshops Delivered | 223 Total Attendees | 111 Landowners Reached |
|---|---|---|
788 In-Kind Hours | 100% across all regions | 90% (main regional datasets) Participants who gained |
Communities are already asking for more
Demand for the workshops has grown well beyond the original funded programme, with multiple communities independently organising their own follow-up sessions. Once people experience the value firsthand, they want more of it — and they want their neighbours involved too.
Bring a workshop to your catchment group
If you'd like to explore hosting an emergency preparedness workshop for your catchment community, we'd love to hear from you. These sessions can be adapted to suit your group's size, location, and priorities.
Get in touch with Hannah Morris at NZLT (hannah.morris@landcare.org.nz) to find out more and start the conversation about what a workshop could look like in your area.
The best time to prepare is before you need to!
