More water: The rise of a singular vision for rural development

Abstract

This paper traces the emergence and dominance of a singular discourse about rural development. The “more water” discourse that emerged in the 2000s in Canterbury was rooted in the idea that vibrant communities depend on economic growth, which hinges on accessing more freshwater for irrigation. Using thick description of the work of a catchment committee, this paper charts the dominance of this discourse and the attempts to channel “more water” through a tightly controlled collaborative and consensus‐based approach. More democratic processes would welcome difference, questioning of prevailing approaches to development, and may lead to more diverse economies and resilient communities.

Can catchment groups fill the democratic deficit? Catchment groups as a hydrosocial phenomenon in Waikaka, Southland

“…The negative attention is both frustrating and upsetting to farmers who care about their environment, as “when it comes to the environmental stuff, we do our bit, but you feel there's a lot more finger‐pointing at agriculture” (Participant 1). The negative media attention has pushed a larger number of farmers to assemble, as it gives them a chance to combat damaging agricultural stereotypes (Thomas et al, 2020).…”

Dam stories: Using narrative analysis to understand the debate over water security and the Waimea Community Dam

“…A policy narrative such as the new win‐win‐win metanarrative underpinned by a ‘more water discourse’ (Thomas et al, 2020) is not refuted by negative findings, because ‘[r]efutation of a decisionmaker's argument for action does not mean you have taken away their perceived need to act’ (E. Roe, 1994, p. 20). Instead, to displace a narrative such as the win‐win‐win metanarrative an equally straightforward narrative is needed, which tells a better story.…”

“…The concept of water security has received increased attention in recent years across scientific, policy and business communities, reflecting rising concerns over the quantity and quality of freshwater resources and resulting impacts on humans and ecosystems alike (Pahl‐Wostl et al, 2016). These concerns often feed into other issues, such as climate change adaptation (Conway, 2013), sustainability of agricultural production and trade (Lanari et al, 2021) and rural transformation and development (Thomas et al, 2020). Many of these concerns are similarly mobilised around the planning, justification and construction of dams (Ahlers et al, 2017).…”

“…Yet these were often accompanied by growing public opposition, as with the Lake Manapouri power scheme (completed in 1971), which fed into the rise of the environmental movement in the country (Knight, 2018). With the retreat of the state from the agricultural sector under the neoliberal reforms of the 1980s and 1990s (Heron & Roche, 1999), irrigation dams have become important to enable more intensive forms of land use, maximise production and increase profits (Thomas et al, 2020). More recently, climate change and regular dry spells in different parts of the country have given dam projects an additional boost and are often articulated in direct correlation with water security (Vause, 2020).…”

New horizons in the politics of water governance

“…Following the uptick of interest in freshwater politics surrounding the first NPSFM in 2011, Blue et al (2012) reported a postgraduate‐convened workshop of geographers attempting to "do freshwater differently", and Tadaki and Fuller (2014) edited a special issue of the New Zealand Geographer on Freshwater Geographies. Geographers have since explored issues as wide ranging as the politics of urban water demand management (Trowsdale et al, 2017), the personification of place in legislation (Warne, 2020) and hegemonic discourses of development predicated on ‘more water’ (Thomas et al, 2020). Now, in 2022, with six papers and four commentaries on the politics of water governance in Aotearoa (see Table 1), we are pleased to report that research in this space has continued to expand.…”