Farmer perceptions of shade and shelter in pastoral sheep systems: co-benefits, constraints and agroforestry adoption in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Shade and shelter are considered key components to maintain animal welfare and health in extensive farming systems. In many pastoral agricultural-based countries, such as Ireland, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, the provision of shade and shelter by trees has decreased significantly over the last decades. To encourage increased availabilty of cover for sheep, a greater understanding of farmer perceptions is needed, including the on-farm realities of implementation. Therefore, this study explores farmer understanding around integrating shade and shelter in farm systems in Aotearoa New Zealand, and underlying beliefs and values driving implementation. This study applies an explorative qualitative research approach, by conducting 21 semi-structured interviews with farmers in the North and South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. It conducts a thematic analysis to identify what is understood as shade and shelter on farm and what drives integration. It finds that shelter is seen as an important component of the farm system, essential for the survival of lambs, especially during extreme weather events and cold times of the year. Shade, on the other hand, is seen more as a luxury asset, with farmers describing it as a “nice to have”. Additional shade and shelter are rarely provided with a primary focus on improving animal welfare, but instead usually come as a co-benefit of planting for erosion control or carbon sequestration. This study contributes to the literature on farmer decision-making in pastoral systems by demonstrating that shade and shelter are perceived and prioritised differently: shelter as a necessity for lamb survival and profitability; shade as a co-benefit of broader land management objectives. The NZ context provides insights for agroforestry adoption and extension practices in comparable pastoral grazing contexts internationally.