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...

Cultivation ideas, valuing the chain leveraging the investment.

George Strachan

Executive Summary

The future of the New Zealand Primary industries will rely on its ability to remain agile in the face of ever increasing change.

Equally for success to be realised there is a call for the industry to know; where its current position is (and launch from this); how it lifts the level of innovation; increases ambidexterity across the value network, and insures the right level of investment is happening to enable long term gains.
 
The question this proposal sets out to answer is: How could the New Zealand Primary industries become more adaptive to disruptive change through Investing in Innovation?
 
Through a series of case studies (Sanford, Synlait, Mr. Apple and Comvita), and interviews with ‘key players’ that have connections to investment in innovation, it is clear to see that the traditional ‘no.8 wire’ approach will not be enough to leverage the sort of innovation needed.
 
Using technology to gain zero distance to our customers will enable the creation of more mindful products that will come as a result of having more compelled consumers. Our value network will have to foster integration across both axes (vertical and horizontal) to enable the experience and benefits impactful alignment will bring. Underpinning this will be some fundamental shifts in the way I3 is backed, be it private internally/externally or publicly sourced finance.
 
Eight key recommendations across four key areas have been derived as a result of the findings of this proposal, with the aim trying to determine what an I3 life cycle could involve.

George Strachan

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