A photograph of fresh bread, pickles and spreads on a table at Agropolis, for the public launch event as part of FESTA 2013. Agropolis is an urban farm on the corner of High Street and Tuam Street. Organic waste from inner-city hospitality businesses is composted and used to grow food.
A photograph of soil remediation techniques being carried out on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of the remains of a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of damage to the ground and fencing at a farm near Telegraph Road in Darfield.
A photograph of damage to the ground and fencing at a farm near Telegraph Road in Darfield.
A photograph of liquefaction emerging from freshly-harrowed soil on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of liquefaction emerging from freshly-harrowed soil on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of liquefaction emerging from freshly-harrowed soil on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of damage to the ground and fencing at a farm near Telegraph Road in Darfield.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Quake damage to farms near the quake centre at Greendale. Damaged grain silos".
A photograph of liquefaction emerging from freshly-harrowed soil on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of the remains of a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of damage to the ground and fencing at a farm near Telegraph Road in Darfield.
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On 4 September 2010 the Magnitude 7.1 'Darfield' Earthquake marked the beginning of the Canterbury earthquake sequence. The Darfield earthquake produced strong ground shaking throughout the centralCanterbury Plains, affecting rural areas, small towns and the city of Christchurch. The event produced a 29km long surface rupture through intensive farmland, causing localised flooding and liquefaction. The central Canterbury plains were subjected to a sustained period of thousands of aftershocks in the months after the Darfield earthquake. The primary sector is a major component of the in New Zealand economy. Business units are predominantly small family-run farm organisations, though there are increasing levels of corporate farming. The agribusiness sector contributes 20 per cent of real GDP and 47 per cent of total exports for New Zealand. Of the approximately 2,000 farms that are located in the Canterbury Plains, the most common farming sectors in the region are Mixed farming (mostly comprised of sheep and/or beef farming), Dairy farming, and Arable farming (cropping). Many farms on the Canterbury Plains require some form of irrigation and are increasingly capital intensive, reliant on built infrastructure, technology and critical services. Farms are of great significance to their local rural economies, with many rural non-farming organisations dependent on the health of local farming organisations. Despite the economic significance of the sector, there have been few, if any studies analysing how modern intensive farms are affected by earthquakes. The aim of this report is to (1) summarise the impacts the Darfield earthquake had on farming organisations and outline in general terms how farms are vulnerable to the effects of an earthquake; (2) identify what factors helped mitigate earthquake-related impacts. Data for this paper was collected through two surveys of farming and rural non-farming organisations following the earthquake and contextual interviews with affected organisations. In total, 78 organisations participated in the study (Figure 1). Farming organisations represented 72% (N=56) of the sample.
A photograph of people jumping in a pile of soil that has been placed on a white sheet, as part of the launch event of Agropolis during FESTA 2013. Agropolis is an urban farm on the corner of High Street and Tuam Street. Organic waste from inner-city hospitality businesses is composted and used to grow food.
A photograph of people jumping in a pile of soil that has been placed on a white sheet, as part of the launch event of Agropolis during FESTA 2013. Agropolis is an urban farm on the corner of High Street and Tuam Street. Organic waste from inner-city hospitality businesses is composted and used to grow food.
A photograph of people jumping in a pile of soil that has been placed on a white sheet, as part of the launch event of Agropolis during FESTA 2013. Agropolis is an urban farm on the corner of High Street and Tuam Street. Organic waste from inner-city hospitality businesses is composted and used to grow food.
A photograph of people jumping in a pile of soil that has been placed on a white sheet, as part of the launch event of Agropolis during FESTA 2013. Agropolis is an urban farm on the corner of High Street and Tuam Street. Organic waste from inner-city hospitality businesses is composted and used to grow food.
A photograph of the remains of a large sand volcano on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of the remains of a large sand volcano on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of a rotary hoe being used on a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of a rotary hoe being used during soil remediation experiments on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of a rotary hoe being used during soil remediation experiments on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
Earthquake demolition work in Christchurch has made way for an urban farm that is equipping young people with life and work skills.
A photograph of a tractor with a rotary hoe flattening a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of a tractor with a rotary hoe flattening a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of a tractor with a rotary hoe flattening a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of a tractor with a rotary hoe flattening a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.
A photograph of a tractor with a rotary hoe flattening a liquefaction blister on a farm near River Road in Lincoln.