The government is investing $975,000 in an large-scale horticulture project led by Northland’s Tupuānuku Collective.
Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor said Northland’s potential to grow food is substantial.
“Our investment will enable landowners to get on-the-ground support to identify the best crops to grow in their district and to assess the availability of water for irrigation,” he said.
The collective is made up of representatives from 13 whānau, hapū and iwi landowners covering more than 35,000ha from the Far North down to the Kaipara district.
Contractors will investigate water accessibility and storage, map soil types and support the collective’s members when it comes to lodging consents and attracting investment.
“Accessing water and building the necessary infrastructure, such as dams, will play a vital role in lifting the productivity of this whenua, especially as our climate changes,” O’Connor said.
“A key part of the two-year project’s mahi will be to deliver a workforce capability development strategy to support the creation of new jobs.”
The minister said in 2020, horticulture was worth $386 million to the Northland region, with kiwifruit and avocados the largest revenue and export earners.
The funding is part of the government and sector’s Fit for a Better World roadmap, which aims for food and fibre sector exports to earn an extra $44 billion over 10 years.
The Tupuānuku Collective was formed with the support of the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Māori Agribusiness Extension (MABx) programme.
“Since 2019, MPI’s Māori Agribusiness team has partnered with Māori agribusiness clusters across the motu, helping Māori landowners access support and expertise. This has resulted in more than 30 approved whenua development proposals,” O’Connor said.
The Ministry of Social Development is also supporting the project by helping to determine workforce requirements and the training needed to provide year-round employment.
“Horticulture has a growing profile in our export earnings, reaching $6.7b for the year ending June 2022. This investment will both help extend this trend and increase Northland’s bounty for its rural communities,” O’Connor said.
