Blog — The AgriBusiness Group

The response of the kiwifruit industry to the freshwater challenge

In New Zealand, there is a focus on freshwater quality due to serious deterioration of waterways. This has led to primary sectors taking significant action to mitigate their impacts as well as government regulation. The AgriBusiness Group has been working closely within the kiwifruit sector for many years on various sustainability projects, including nutrient management. In this article, we look at how New Zealand’s most valuable horticultural sector is responding to the freshwater challenge and what the upcoming proposed government regulations mean for it.

Latest Projects, Consultancy, ResearchGuest User14 November 2019Regulations, Freshwater, Sustainability & Environmental, ConsultancyComment

Smallholders are the best extension agents in the Peruvian Andes Mountains

How to equip thousands of widely dispersed farmers across the Peruvian Andes with the knowledge of how to apply good dairy farming practices and improve their families’ livelihoods? By training a small number of farmers to become extension agents in their local area. At the start, the New Zealand Peru Dairy Support project encountered many difficulties by employing state-run Research & Extension professionals. Since then, local smallholder farmers have been taking on the role as an extension agent instead, and three years down the track, the project is starting to see excellent outcomes with good prospects for the future.

Are farm systems forgotten in the current regulatory climate?

The recently proposed Essential Freshwater Package raised the discussion once more how thousands of farmers across the country can adapt their systems to collaboratively achieve a common goal. Our environmental consultant Dave Lucock believes that a focus on collaboration and a farm-systems approach should be the answer. And sometimes, squeezing unique farm systems into set regulatory requirements can do more harm than good.

Sheep milking in Canterbury

Another change on the Canterbury Plains is on the horizon. It is white and or black, with some shades of brown, has four legs, provides us with a white liquid fit for human consumption but it goes baa instead of moo! Sheep milking is starting to make headway with a handful of farmers milking small flocks of sheep to provide consumers with highly nutritional milk products such as cheese, yoghurt, fresh milk and gelato. Sarah O’Connell is taking a closer look at the opportunities and challenges of the sheep milking industry.

The Future of New Zealand Farms – what will our farms look like?

The agricultural industry is rapidly changing. Amelia Wood is reflecting on how farming has evolved over the last few decades and explores what farming might look like in the future. Rural professionals play a key role to show a clear path for farmers to navigate regulatory standards and achieve environmental and economic targets. Understanding the uniqueness of each farming business and its surrounding landscape is the key to future success.

Nitrogen - the devil is in the detail

Last month the Government released its draft Essential Freshwater Package, which has a strong sense of urgency to improve water quality this generation. Charlotte Irving is taking a closer look at how the new bottom line for nitrogen levels came about and calls for more scientific research across the country’s local waterways.

Latest Projects, Consultancy, CharlotteGuest User10 October 2019Freshwater, Regulations, Sustainability & EnvironmentalComment

Supporting agricultural development in the Pacific Islands

The AgriBusiness Group has been working on development projects in the Pacific Islands since its inception. Through this work the company has developed strong relationships with Pacific people and organisations and developed a good understanding of development needs and strategies that achieve impact.

Latest Projects, InternationalGuest User2 October 2019Pacific Islands, Business Development, InternationalComment

Economic Analysis - Predicting Māori Home Ownership

Māori are experiencing a significant decline in home ownership. Jay Whitehead used the data from the Christchurch Health and Development Study cohort to determine the variables that influence home ownership.

Latest Projects, Jay Whitehead, ResearchSustainable Wellbeing13 September 2019Research

My experiences as an intern from France in New Zealand

Eleonore is studying Agronomy at the Agrosup in Dijon, France, and has just spent 20 weeks with The AgriBusiness Group through her ‘Internship Abroad’. She is reflecting on the experiences she has had in New Zealand and the (not so) subtle differences in work philosophies and food culture (or lack thereof). Where is the red wine with lunch?

Latest ProjectsGuest User6 September 2019Comment

Introducing carbon farming services

All our industries are under pressure to reduce carbon emissions as New Zealand transits into a low emissions economy to combat climate change. The agriculture industry has recently been served up some policy driven reduction targets likely to hit our soils within the next year or so. We’ve developed a carbon farming service that applies strategic solutions to reduce farm level carbon footprints while retaining economic growth and other fundamental business objectives.