Farming in New Zealand: The People, the Skills, the Opportunities
Efficient Farm Production
New Zealand farmers are amongst the most efficient in the world and their efficiency is constantly rising. In 1991, the value of gross domestic product per agricultural worker in current terms was $74,000. In 2001, this had risen to $89,000 per employee. This represents a productivity gain of over 20 percent in real terms in agriculture compared with 7 percent for the total New Zealand economy over the same period.
Developing Knowledge: Education, Research and Extension
New Zealand farmers have always been at the forefront of technological improvement in pastoral farming and are amongst the first to adopt new technologies into their farming systems. New Zealand's soil, climatic and topographical features have often demanded innovative solutions. Many of these solutions, in farming practices and processing technologies, or as outputs from plant and animal breeding programmes, have subsequently been adopted around the world.
Agriculture Research
New Zealand benefits from an educated farming population, and an extensive network of research and development organisations, and extension services. The Ministry of Research, Science and Technology and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology manage the government's investment in research and development. The Ministry's role is policy development and the Foundation is responsible for purchasing specific science services on behalf of the government. The Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), universities and research associations carry out the majority of the government-funded research and development.
The CRIs that have input into agricultural research are:
- AgResearch Ltd;
- Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand Ltd (HortResearch);
- New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research Ltd (Crop and Food Research);
- Forest Research;
- Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd (Manaaki Whenua) ;
- Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd (GNS);
- Industrial Research Ltd (IRL);
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA);
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR).
The structure of New Zealand CRIs is perhaps unique in the world. They have been set up as limited liability companies with their shares held by the government. Each has a board of up to nine government-appointed directors. The CRI structure provides a more open and flexible framework for the management of science, intended to create better collaboration between the public and private sectors in research, development, and technology transfer.
Research Associations
Research Associations are industry-owned institutions. They provide capabilities in research and technology transfer which individual companies in the sector may not be able to justify. A key goal of those research associations involved with the primary export industries is to improve the marketability and added value of products from New Zealand's farms and forests.
The agricultural research associations are:
- New Zealand Fertiliser Manufacturers Research Association;
- Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand;
- New Zealand Dairy Research Institute;
- New Zealand Leather and Shoe Research Association;
- New Zealand Logging Industry Research Association;
- Meat Industry Research Institute of New Zealand (now owned by AgResearch).
Tertiary Education
New Zealand's seven universities offer a wide range of tertiary education studies. All include science and most have courses in aspects of technology. Research is integrated with education, and staff and post-graduate students carry out basic and strategic investigations and make substantial contributions in their applied fields.
The various universities all have their specialities in some areas of science and technology. Some of these areas include agriculture and horticulture; biological, physical, earth, marine and environmental sciences; forestry; engineering; medicine and pharmacy; mathematics, statistics and computer science. Massey and Lincoln Universities are internationally known for their agriculture and horticulture qualifications. Massey University is responsible for training New Zealand's veterinarians. Twenty-five polytechnics and several private training establishments complement the universities' role in education and training.
Extension
Services
Agricultural extension in New Zealand has gone through a series of transformations since the mid-1980s. The government's agricultural and horticultural extension service was reformed in 1987 when it began to charge farmers and other clients fees for services. In 1992, the service was formed into a stand-alone business unit, MAF Agriculture New Zealand. This unit was subsequently sold to the private sector and now trades as a wholly owned subsidiary of New Zealand's largest agribusiness company. This change is now well accepted by farmers. It has created a profitable consultancy business while delivering a valuable service to the sector. Extension programmes have been improved as commercial entities respond to the demands of clients and funding agencies, while the government can still meet its needs through contestable contracts, rather than by owning the delivery mechanism.
Contact for Enquiries
MAF Information Services
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
Fax: +64 4 894 0721
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