Five projects worth over 2.1 million will add further value to increasing the productivity of Maori primary sector assets.
The Maori agribusiness projects have been approved by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI’s) Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF), from a total of 31 approved projects this year.
“MPI is dedicated to partnering with MÄori to increase the value of their primary sector assets. The flow on effects of this will contribute directly into New Zealand’s regional economies,” says deputy director-general Ben Dalton.
“The five projects address a range of issues in MÄori agribusiness from horticulture to improving farming practices and land restoration.
“The Tuhono Whenua project aims to lift the productivity and profitability of collectively owned MÄori kiwifruit orchards in the Bay of Plenty, Northland and Gisborne.
“Using a customised orchard advisory approach, returns will be increased by more than $10,000 per hectare. Over the targeted 200 hectares, this will conservatively increase orchard returns by more than $2,000,000 annually.
“The integrated management project will scale up to 15 farms in the North Island with an estimated area of 30,000 hectares providing a significant lift in sustainable productivity and profitability.
“A project in the Waikura Valley will look at the critical environmental risks associated with large scale active gully erosion, trialling new methods to stabilise the severely damaged area.
“This project will provide a platform for Waikura valley land-owners to participate in the development of a land management plan, recognising MÄori as kaitiaki of the land that is important to future generations,” says Mr Dalton.
The MÄori agribusiness projects which have been accepted into the SFF are:
- MÄori Incorporations/Trusts: conducting business in your sector
- Integrated management to improve productivity and profitability for Maori agribusiness
- Tuhono Whenua kiwifruit orchard productivity – Bay of Plenty, Northland, Gisborne
- Waikura Valley land restoration project – East Coast
- Farming with the environment for customers.
“Maori continue to play an increasingly significant role in New Zealand’s primary industry sector, as key partners in much of the country’s natural resources,” says Mr Dalton.
The five Maori agribusiness projects are worth over 2.1 million, with 49 percent provided by the project and 51 percent funded through SFF.
