Outcome 1

New Zealand's Economic Growth and Prosperity are Enhanced through A High-Performing and Innovative Sector

This outcome acknowledges continuous growth in the primary sector requires constant product, process, market and institutional innovation to increase gains in labour and capital productivity. The sector-specific business environments which influence these factors are critical in determining the future economic performance of the primary industries.

State indicators:

  • Total factor productivity in the sector.
  • Skill levels in the sector.
  • Levels of public and private investment in sector intangible assets (e.g. research and development, training)
  • Number and impact of regulatory barriers to innovation in the sector.
  • Costs to the sector of complying with New Zealand imposed regulatory requirements.
  • Total factor productivity of Māori-owned agricultural, food and forestry businesses
  • Cost differentials related to infrastructure, energy and communications services for rural community-based businesses compared with non-rural counterparts.
  What MAF Does... Performance Measures Collaboration

Intermediate Outcome 1.1:

Policies and interventions to foster innovation and growth in the sector

MAF will continue to work with industry in the interests of improving microeconomic flexibility and innovation in the sector. This involves consideration of wider business environment issues, as well as sector-specific issues and sector engagements such as with the food and beverage and forestry industries.
  • Completion of MAF's input into the Food and Beverage Sector Engagement and effective responses to its recommendations.
  • Improvement of capability in innovation systems for sustainable growth in agriculture and forestry industries.
  • Achievement of successful negotiation of project agreements under the FIDA Market Development Initiative.
  • Completion of a forests and forestry study to lay a basis for sustainable economic growth in the forests and forestry sector.
  • Completion of a study of the drivers of total factor productivity in the agriculture and forestry industries to contribute to improved policy development.
 The agriculture, food and forestry industries are key collaboration partners for MAF.

MAF is working with the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST) and other departments and agencies in the Food and Beverage Sector Engagement.

Intermediate Outcome 1.2:

Effective and efficient regulatory regimes for the sector

 MAF administers a number of regulatory regimes (including food, biosecurity and sustainable management) which are significant in this context. Ongoing enhancement of the regulatory frameworks for the agriculture and forestry industries aims to improve the business environment in which they operate. A key priority is for MAF to empower and enable the New Zealand domestic food industry to meet its responsibility to provide safe and suitable food.

 
  • Completion of a review of existing legislation and policies and relevant Acts implemented within specific components of the sector.
  • Application of New Zealand standards to imported food.
  • Review and harmonisation of cost recovery arrangements.
 MAF offers public consultation and discussion papers to gain external perspectives regarding relevant biosecurity, food safety and policy matters and regulation.

Intermediate Outcome 1.3:

Enhanced prosperity for Maori engaged with, or participating in the sector

 MAF has an important role in supporting Māori to optimise the economic potential of their land and forestry assets by addressing opportunities and barriers for the development of those assets. MAF also has a stewardship and transitional role in the transfer of some Crown forestry assets to Māori ownership. MAF's Crown Forestry Group continues to implement progressive surrenders of forestry leases on Māori land and has sold the Crown's leasehold interest in others, as well as transferring Crown forests to Māori claimants in Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

 
  • Management of forestry leases of Māori land to best practice commercial and forestry standards.
  • Negotiation of changes to long-term leases of Māori land on terms mutually beneficial to Māori and the Crown.
  • Assistance with the transfer of Crown forestry assets to Māori in Treaty of Waitangi settlements.
 MAF works with the Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS) in Treaty of Waitangi settlements. Collaboration is necessary for both agencies to meet their objectives − OTS has the objective of settling Treaty claims, while MAF's objective is the disposal of surplus forestry assets. As these are Crown assets, any major transactions that MAF negotiates are in conjunction with Treasury.

Intermediate Outcome 1.4:

Enhanced business environment for rural communities

 Agricultural and forestry businesses face a number of unique challenges due to their nature and location. Rural businesses need effective and efficient connections to the world and workable access to essential services. A supportive business environment and an effective and efficient infrastructure network have a significant influence on the sector's ability to grow and prosper. MAF has an important role to ensure the Government, in making policy decisions affecting rural businesses, takes into account these challenges in order to improve the business environment for rural communities.
  • Identification of infrastructure impediments to prosperous businesses in rural communities and minimisation of these impediments where practicable.
  • Provision of advice in the development of the business environment in rural communities with regard to equitable and workable access to essential services (emergency, health, education, transport, telecommunications and electricity).
  • Promotion of recognition among government agencies and the general public of the important role of the agriculture, horticulture, food and forestry sectors and communities, and awareness of the nature of rural production systems.
 MAF works with government departments such as MED, the Ministry of Transport and the Department of Internal Affairs in the provision of infrastructure.

MAF also works with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Education regarding the provision of essential services and with the Department of Labour with regard to labour market matters in the sector.

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Contact for Enquiries

Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington

Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738 Contact this person

 
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