General

The last six months has been a very busy time for our Triennial Nuffield 2020 committee. With now only around 15 months until we have delegates arriving for our conference, we are very aware we still have a lot to do.  

Our aim is to produce a world-class conference that will showcase New Zealand’s innovative and leading edge agri-food sector. Highlighting Maori agriculture and demonstrating innovation and sustainability in our businesses. 

Some of the things we have been focusing on are; 

Communication/Marketing 

• We have created a promotional video to be played at the individual countries conferences and will be putting another video out before registrations open 
• We have created a basic website that we will continually add to www.nuffield2020.com  
• We have set up social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter @Nuffield2020 and #Nuffield2020. 
• NZ Alumni have been emailed a ‘save the date’ announcement including ways they can help 
• International Alumni have been emailed a ‘save the date’ announcement with a program overview  
• We have selected approximately 20 ‘Triennial Ambassadors’ from different year groups to help us promote the Triennial in their countries  

Biennial & Triennial Program 

• Confirmed dates are:
  – Biennial  20th– 21st March 2020 
  –  Triennial 22nd-29th March 2020
  –  Technical tours 30th March – 1st April 2020 

• We have selected catering and accommodation options 
• We have spent time researching in the Central Otago and Canterbury regions looking at potential field trip options  
• We have also put together a Program overview (attached: Triennial A4 Program Overview 181018). 

Sponsorship 

• We have created a sponsorship prospectus document with insets for different levels of sponsorship 
• Have been approaching targeted companies to become a partner of Nuffield 2020 

There is no doubt though that raising a sufficient level of sponsorship will have a key impact on our ability to put together a world-class conference so if any of the alumni have some suggestions, contacts or ideas regarding sponsorship we would welcome them. 

Finally, for our conference to be successful, we will need the help and support of our New Zealand alumni. This is a unique opportunity to show the rest of the world New Zealand agriculture at its best and we would love you to be a part of it.  

So please put 20th March – 1st April 2020 into your diaries now. We look forward to seeing you all in March 2020! 

Michael Tayler 

Chairman 

Nuffield Triennial 2020 

This time of the year is a busy period for trustees, selecting and presenting our 2019 Nuffield scholars.  The process is robust and involves shortlisting, referee checks and of course the interview process.  It all culminates with the announcement in the Banquet Hall of Parliament in early November. 

You will see from the profiles that we have very good hands-on farmers in this year’s selection with representation in dairy, sheep & beef, fibre, arable sectors.  It is also notable that the topics initially selected (which can change) are very outward/ market/ customer focused in recognition that the challenges and opportunities facing many sectors are more about the how and why of what we are doing on-farm than the what. 

We obtained excellent feedback from this year’s scholar announcement event.  Prior to the Awards, we had a highly valuable two-hour session engaging returning scholars and programme partners on topics and perspectives facing NZ and global agriculture.  And at the formal announcement at Parliament more than 75 people enjoyed hearing perspectives on the 2018 Scholar’s preliminary insights on their research topic which included challenges of setting environmental policy, the physical limitations of moving to low carbon energy systems, the need to optimise farm systems within environmental limits, the need for NZ agriculture to up its game on biosecurity and the opportunities for high value nutritional ingredients. 

One notable fact that we will be addressing in future selections is the lack of diversity amongst our scholar group.  We are under-represented this year in horticulture, in Maori agribusiness and in women scholars.  This isn’t an issue of selection, it is an issue of ensuring that we get a sufficiently diverse group of applicants.  We will be developing some plans to address this for the new year.  The answer is probably a mix of better engagement with our business partners and sponsors around candidate nomination and some more activity in the regions. 

Since our last Enuff, I am pleased to confirm the appointment of Louise Webster as an independent trustee.  As noted on our website, Louise brings a different skill set based around technology, innovation and leadership development.  Louise will join the Trust Board in January following a six-month sabbatical in Europe looking at the agri-food and other sectors.  We look forward to her contribution helping us ensure we remain relevant in a fast-changing world. 

I can also report on progress on the Thought Leadership or Rural Communities project.  Utilising the ‘Good to Great’ hedgehog as an organising concept, we have confirmed as a Trust that we are passionate about “Growing New Zealand through thriving rural communities”.  We are working on the other two components of the hedgehog but believe we can be world’s best at “Developing rural leaders that can solve (or untangle) wicked problems”.  And finally, we think that our real economic engine (how we secure ongoing funding) is “delivering leaders, and cost-effective solutions, that can address wicked problems” for our programme partners and sponsors. 

A wicked problem is defined as a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory and changing requirements that may be difficult to recognise.  An effort to solve one aspect of a wicked problem may create other problems.
 

The trend towards commoditisation, the need to meet environmental standards, climate change, the role of genetic engineering, attracting young kiwis to work on farms are all examples of wicked problems.  Often these problems are across industry rather than within industry silos. 

As an organisation, we have limited resources so we need to crawl before we walk.  What we can do in the near term is ensure that our new scholars (Nuffield and Kelloggs) understand the wicked problem concept and can develop their topic area into an aspect that we need to solve for the future of NZ agriculture.  We then need to better leverage the post scholarship period to ensure scholars can engage with our partners and the alumni to transfer their knowledge into positive action. 

Finally, as we near the Christmas period it is important to acknowledge the work of Anne Hindson and her very small team.  They are currently fully engaged in running the Nuffield (working with 2018 and 2019 scholar groups) and Kellogg programs (class 38 just completed last week) & planning for the 2019 courses starting in mid-January and supporting the Nuffield Triennial work being done by Michael Taylor and his group.  As we move forward it will be important that we match our desire for impact with resourcing and this in-between time can be difficult to traverse. 

Peter Jensen encouraged alumni to pay it back at the 2019 Nuffield NZ AGM announcing that he and his wife Anne were donating $40k, the equivalent of one scholarship, to the Nuffield Capital Fund.  

He challenged every scholar for whom the scholarship had been a life changing event, either in their business or personal life, or both to donate over their lifetime the equivalent of a current scholarship ($40k) in recognition of the opportunities that it provided each person in their business and personal life.  

“I am showing that I believe that in donating back the equivalent of a scholarship I can ensure this amazing opportunity continues well into the future and Nuffield NZ is in a strong position to continue to spearhead rural leadership development into the future” says Peter. 

He follows another generous contribution of $10k by Derek Daniels earlier and contributions some years ago by other alumni and events. 

The fund is currently sitting at just over $810k so our target is not unrealistic! 

To download a donation form click here or if you need to discuss options please contact GM Anne Hindson on 027 431 7575 or annehindson@ruralleaders.co.nz 

Background  

The Nuffield Capital Fund was set up a number of years ago to build a fund of $1million to ensure that the Nuffield legacy would continue in times of ‘shocks and challenges’ such as the loss of a major sponsor or a rural/country recession. The interest from this fund would support at least two scholarships each year and enable ongoing leadership development opportunities for alumni i.e. attendance at courses, development opportunities. 

The fund will ensure Nuffield continues to be the pinnacle of rural and agri food leadership development in New Zealand into the future.  

Hugh was a highly active member of the Nuffield Alumni and at the 2015 Nuffield Australia National Conference in Albury, was acknowledged for a 40-year reign as a Nuffield Scholar. 

Hugh was a well-known grains industry advocate, former agri-politician who had a long association with the NSW Farmers Association and other industry bodies. He was also a strong advocate for genetically modified (GM) crops.  

Until recently, Hugh and his wife Jenny lived at “Birralee”, a 485 hectare property which became widely known as the base of a successful registered seed business, specialising in triticale and legume varieties.
 

Hugh was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship in 1977 to study British agriculture, and the British seed industry in particular. You can read Hugh’s final report here.

He has represented the agricultural industry in many roles, including with NSW Farmers Association, Grains Council of Australia and Bio Technology Australia Advisory Council, Australian Seeds Authority and the Australian Crop Accreditation System.