2026 Nuffield NZ Farming Scholarship. Apply by 17 August 2025. Read More...

Apply for 2026 Nuffield NZ Farming Scholarship by 17 August 2025. More details...

Agribusiness

Oliver Knowles

The growing trend in precision farming (PF) comprises technologies that combine sensors, information systems, enhanced machinery, and informed management to optimise production by accounting for variability and uncertainties within agricultural systems. Adapting production inputs site-specifically within paddocks and individually for each animal enabling better use of resources to maintain and improve the quality of the … Read more

Katherine Gillespie

The aim of this research was to explore ways to strengthen rural communities in New Zealand. The research focuses on the three small rural communities of Kimbolton, Apiti and Rangiwahia, all located in the northern Manawatu.  Six households were chosen from each community and invited to participate in the project. The participants were given a … Read more

Nathan Nelson

Why is family succession planning an issue we should be concerned about? It comes back to the word family. Family succession planning within the agricultural landscape conquers within, an emotional connection to the land and a cultural identity within New Zealand. There have always been family businesses running farms and there appears to be a … Read more

Natasha Clarke-Nathan

The research highlights that historically Maori worked collectively as inter-dependents and how legislative frameworks that today promote individualism, have disbanded this collective ability. Individualism is established with the appointment of trustees who to some degree act independently on behalf of their land owners. The research identifies this as a key deferent to the development of land. The handing over of authority and decision making from the owners to trustees presents a risk or threat to the owners. This has contributed in the loss of Maori land development.

Casey Huffstutler

A Professionalism shortage in governance, more and more organisations are beginning to expect more professionalism, from potential candidates. Although this might be the case there may not have been enough done to clarify and support the transformation. Every year thousands of people volunteer their time in leadership roles throughout the primary industry, yet there is … Read more

St John Craner

It makes sense to look at disruptive technology within agriculture when so many other industries have been disrupted. Music (iTunes, Spotify, Pandora), books (Amazon, Book Depository), travel agents (TripAdvisor), transportation (Uber, Tesla), accommodation (AirBnB), entertainment (Netflix), insurance (Trov), recruitment (LinkedIn) or energy (Flick) have all been affected. What all have in common is a lack … Read more

Sam Lang

There is a new frontier of food and farming emerging. Its emergence is in part a response to the limitations and negative impacts of our current farm systems, and in part driven by a realisation that ‘regenerative farming’ is opening up a new world of possibility. Many of our current farming systems are being ‘squeezed’ … Read more

Richard Fowler

Synthetic food (SF) is being touted as a revolution in food production that could replace animal products. While the industry is more bark than bite at the moment, it’s rapidly gaining awareness and attracting significant funding by being portrayed as a solution to many of the global problems associated with conventional agriculture. As the pressure … Read more

Tom Skerman

Tom Skerman

Hamish Easton

The New Zealand government has set a goal of doubling the value of exports by 2025. In order to achieve this, the Irrigation Acceleration Fund (IAF) was allocated $35 million over five years to support the development of irrigation infrastructure.  Rangitikei local government had employed Catalyst Group an environmental management consulting company to conduct case … Read more

Jamie Cunninghame

Foreign Ownership of New Zealand farm land is an ever evolving topic that is of interest to a large number of us and a discussion that many people are uneasy to have or have a strong feeling either way. People fear for loss of ownership of our great land and consider the implications it will … Read more

Dave Martin

Volunteering by the individual and society at large brings benefits across the social spectrum. The contributions it makes socially and economically are very important and volunteering contributes to a more cohesive society by building trust and reciprocity among citizens. In 2014 44% of New Zealanders did some form of voluntary work – that put us … Read more

Nathan Keoghan

Top farmers leverage their consultants to achieve more than they would on their own. They do this in five main ways;  They have a plan. They are prepared for their time with the advisor. They have identified the skill s or tools they require. They seek advice from reputable sources. They seek options, not answers. … Read more

Ngarangi Walker

What does kaitiakitanga look like in Tairawhiti? What does it mean for uri of Ngati Porou? What does it mean for uri of Te Whanau a Apanui?  How do whanau connect to their whenua? How might we improve whanau connectivity to each other and our whenua so our whenua and our whanau are ora?! Ngarangi … Read more

Stephen Thomson

New Zealand has a unique selling point, the one advantage we have over the rest of the world is Maori culture. This is an insight to how Maori the branding of New Zealand primary sector products can help to add value to our exports.

Jason Rolfe

The primary industry is known as the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, with large amounts of exciting and broad career opportunities. Yet as the population grows many graduates prefer to head to urban based careers in large cities, than return to heartland New Zealand and take up careers in the primary sector.  The qualitative study … Read more

Sarah Heddell

This report looks at co-operatives as a whole. To gain experienced insight into the rural sector co-operatives a number of high level management and directors involved with co-ops have been interviewed. Essentially looking to define the mechanisms operating within co-operatives to ensure their long term success in the rural community. The Co-operatives section covers what … Read more

Brad Tatere

This report will attempt to answer the question: “Is the Māori contribution to regional GDP through agribusiness appropriately understood and quantified?”

Dan Steele

We have inherited a brand. New Zealand was the last major land mass on earth to be colonised by humans, it is distant from most of the world’s population and has beautiful scenery and biodiversity. This brand is about a safe, unspoiled last paradise, or to quote a Rudyard Kipling poem: the “last, loneliest, loveliest, … Read more

Sharon Morrell

This report investigates the wide variety of ways that producers (farmers and fishers) have coped with constraints. These constraints include industry restructure, market pressures and environmental restrictions. How environmental limits have been navigated, and even utilised, is a major focus of the report since this is a current issue for New Zealand (NZ) farmers. In … Read more

Ben Allomes

Changing economic and social pressures in the rural sector mean farmers need to change the way they act and react to challenges if they want to survive and thrive. Strengthening rural leadership has been identified as a key opportunity to help famers to respond and adapt to their changing environment both on-farm and with in … Read more

Walker, Ngarangi

What does kaitiakitanga look like in Tairawhiti? What does it mean for uri of Ngati Porou? What does it mean for uri of Te Whanau a Apanui? How do whanau connect to their whenua? How might we improve whanau connectivity to each other and our whenua so our whenua and our whanau are ora?! Walker, … Read more

Mark Everest

The reasons for uptake of irrigation scheme water are relatively un-researched in Canterbury of New Zealand, and while there are a number of theories why scheme water is not adopted by farmers, it is not well documented. This pilot study of nine farmers across mid and central Canterbury was set up to make an initial … Read more

Simon Cooney

The Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan (CLWRP) is currently one of the more topical issues in the agriculture community. Please refer to Appendix one for an illustrated description of this plan. The proposed plan as it stands could potentially have huge implications on farm succession, development plans, change of land use, retirement plans, viability … Read more