Pig farmers look at Best Practice to save lagoon

Pig farmers have a key role to play in protecting the ecological health and stability of Muri-Titikaveka lagoon, which is currently in a degraded ecological condition.
Takitumu Mayor Teariki Matenga on Friday told the Cook Islands Times of the meeting held between members of the Cook Islands Marine Resources Institutional Strengthening (CIMRIS) team and Takitumu pig farmers.
This was at Kent Hall in Titikaveka on 12 December. Lagoon activist Ali McQuarie was present as well as representatives from the Public Health division of the Health Ministry and the Environment Ministry.
EXPLAINED
Matenga said Andrew Dakers, a technical advisor on waste water with the CIMRIS team, explained the importance of good practice by pig farmers and other wastewater producing activities (resorts, residential dwellings, agricultural erosion and excavation). This was in protecting the health and stability of the lagoon.
He said Dakers discussed technical issues around pig waste management. He then presented the concept of best practice for pig farmers with particular focus on the management of piggery waste water.
The farmers have been presented with a copy of the best practice document prepared by Dakers, which is based on the New Zealand Code. He will also provide a copy of the Australian guidelines later.
Matenga said the plan was to call another meeting later in January to gauge how farmers have accepted the document. Matenga said regulations were not wanted.
At the close of the meeting it was agreed Dakers would visit each farmer when he returns in March. Also local pig farmers are to consider forming an association or joining the Titikaveka Growers Association.
Farmers are to also consider options and opportunities for utilizing the pig waste as a resource to possibly generate income.
Why is pig farming attracting so much attention?
According to the CIMRIS team, the lagoons in Rarotonga are under significant stress from pollution causing activities on land. Domestic and commercial piggeries are a significant activity contributing to pollution of the lagoon.
Piggery wastewater eventually finds its way to the lagoon via streams and /or underwater ground flows.
STRENGTH
The strength of waste produced by a piggery operation can be compared to the strength of waste produced by a human population, according to Dakers.
A one breeding sow unit will produce wastewater equivalent to 15-20 people (3-5 families). The strength of wastewater produced by a pig farm with 10 sows with gilts, boars and growers would be equivalent to the strength of wastewater from a population of 150-200 people, depending on the average number of piglets per sow.
The key risks put to the farmers by Dakers, were odours, pollution of surface and ground water and Health risks to community.
At the meeting Dakers took the farmers through best practice methods used in NZ relating to waste collection systems, separation distances, treatment systems, treatment ponds and irrigation systems.
Some bad news regarding pig digesters surfaced at the meeting. Discussions disclosed the digesters were not working well. Digesters require regular servicing and operational input and if neglected by farmers, will fall into disrepair and eventually fail to operate.
Farmers were advised by Dakers to scrape down pig waste to keep the solids concentration high and send to a centralised digester or convert the tanks to some other treatment system or keep researching.
Matenga is optimistic pig farmers will work together and adopt a best practices document because the alternative is government regulations and officials telling farmers what to do. If suitable measures are not taken the state of the lagoon will get worse and this will force the development and implementation of very strict environmental regulations by various government agencies.
Other members of the CIMRIS team who attended the meeting were Geoff Mavromatis -team leader, Trevor Ward and Jo Akroyd. Takitumu Vaka Councillor Vaevae Tangiiti was also present.

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