The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the New Zealand primary sector is changing the way farmers operate daily, with potential to improve decision-making, efficiency, and economic contribution. At the same time, it is reshaping how farmers interact with rural professionals and redefining their role.
This report investigates how the use of AI-enabled technologies is impacting the skill set required of rural professionals to remain valuable, and the leadership capabilities that are needed to facilitate the change.
Through a mixed-methods approach, the research finds that the use of AI-enabled technology on farm is shifting the role of the rural professional from knowledge transfer to data interpretation and decision facilitation. As the access to data and information increases, the value of knowledge transfer decreases. However, the ability to translate information into an actionable insight increases in value. To enable this change, four capabilities were identified as crucial for the future success of rural professionals.
- Data analysis & interpretation– to identify meaningful insights from increasing volumes of data
- Critical thinking – to evaluate and validate output of AI, and ensure recommendations are grounded in existing farm system knowledge
- Adaptability – respond to ongoing change, and a range of technology expertise
- Relationship building – to ensure insights are trusted and actioned
Without these capabilities, AI-enabled technology risks poorer decision-making, slower adoption, and reduced return on investment for farmers. As a result, the New Zealand primary sector could miss out on productivity and profitability gains.
The research highlights a clear gap between current capabilities and those required in an AI-enabled primary sector. Over 50% of respondents did not feel well supported through this change. This showed the growing need for strong leadership throughout the primary sector.
The research shows that effective leadership in this context is less dependent on technical knowledge, and more focused on providing clarity, supporting capability development, and creating a safe environment for learning and experimentation. Without this, there is a risk that rural professionals may disengage with capability development, resulting in a loss of relevance and contribution to the New Zealand primary sector.
To address these challenges, the following recommendations are made from this report;
- Capability development: through structured and practical workshops, with real case studies or examples of AI being successfully implemented in rural professional roles, and on farm.
- Role definition: reposition rural professionals as data interpreters and facilitators of decision-making
- Enable change through leadership: create clarity and remove fear of job loss to allow rural professionals to engage in change
Overall, this report concludes that the success of AI in the New Zealand primary sector depends not only on the technology, but also the sectors’ ability to develop people who can use it effectively. While AI is changing the work that’s done, it is also increasing the need for human capabilities to interpret complexity, make decisions and build trust in a data rich environment. Without deliberate investment in capability development and leadership, there is a risk that the sector will fail to translate technological potential into productivity gains.
Ella Cvitanovich
