Cultural Bastions, Farm Optimisation and Tribal Agriculture in Aotearoa (New Zealand)

This paper outlines the influence of cultural factors (including tradition knowledge systems) on tribal agricultural organisations in Aotearoa-New Zealand (NZ); and then presents a conceptual framework that integrates several existing models and tools designed specifically for Māori farmer collectives. Traditional knowledge systems have a pervasive influence on NZs Māori agribusiness sector. However, they often go unrecognised; concealed beneath a land tenure system and legislative framework that is restrictive, cumbersome and has been responsible for widespread land loss since its introduction almost 150 years ago. In spite of these constraints, Māori agriculture in NZ is vibrant, diverse and has several unique characteristics that indicate the emergence of resilient farming system structures. The cultural construct of genealogical affiliation (whakapapa) and two associated principles of inter tribal/clan relationships (whanaungatanga) and inter generational environmental guardianship (kaitiakitanga) are outlined in the paper. These constructs underpin two developing trends in the Māori sector: the aggregation of smaller land titles into larger farming units, and the formation of multiple farm units into farming collectives. The advantages of scale efficiencies, enterprise diversification and greater capacity to capture value chain opportunities beyond the farm gate are evident. However, the tools available to the decision-makers within collectives are limited. The final section in the paper outlines the development of a modelling framework (Whenua) that includes multiple farm and value chain optimisation functions designed specifically for Māori collectives to explore viable future development and investment scenarios

Rural Reform and Fiji's Indigenous Sugarcane Growers: An Application of Stochastic Frontier Analysis

We examine the performance of Fiji's indigenous sugarcane growers, measuring their technical efficiency using a stochastic frontier production function. Of particular interest are the cooperative or communal farming structures among new entrants into Fiji's sugar industry. These structures are emerging in response to government rationalisation policies in agricultural support-from individuals to groups-and the growing emphasis from the indigenous community on economic activity to reflect community requirements, values and imperatives. Our study finds that growers who are members of a cooperative group have higher levels of technical efficiency than growers who live in villages and that their performance is on par with galala or independent growers. Group structures are used as vehicles to centralise management decision-making and pool resources, thereby overcoming experience and capital accumulation constraints. The research also shows that these structures provide a vital mechanism for aligning cultural values and legitimising individual economic activity that has communal benefits. This finding is not only important for Fiji's struggling agricultural sector, it points a way forward for other South Pacific island nations and other countries where agricultural intensification is carried out on communally owned land

Communal land ownership and agricultural development: Overcoming technical efficiency constraints among Fiji’s indigenous sugarcane growers

Communal land ownership is frequently considered a constraint on farm productivity as farmers endeavour to balance socio-cultural obligations with the demands of commercial agriculture. Recently, the Fiji Government has encouraged indigenous Fijians to take up profitable sugarcane growing using traditional practices of ‘communal farming’. Using Stochastic Frontier Analysis, this study finds that under certain conditions, farm productivity and technical efficiency increased for farmers in these co-operative farming groups. It also finds that there were improvements among inexperienced farmers who resided in villages, previously the group at the highest risk of performing poorly. The realisation of these outcomes lies in the influence of a firm structure that allows the expression of cultural and traditional practices, rather than their suppression, while also consenting to the accumulation of economic wealth within a culturally acceptable framework

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Modelling for Māori Focus Farms

This report covers a modelling exercise which is a component of a larger project to assist the Māori pastoral sector to improve its collective capacity to increase resource efficiency, farm productivity, while lowering GHG emissions. Discussions were held with the Trustees and managers of the four Focus Farms involved; Two dairy farms: Pukehina (Bay of Plenty) and Te Rua o Te Moko (Taranaki), and two sheep & beef farms; Oromahoe (Northland), and Morotiri (East Coast). These discussions with the four Focus Farms initially identified a range of farm system-type change scenarios, along with the retirement of marginal land into forestry. The results of the mitigation modelling were presented to the owners/managers at a second meeting to then identify further scenarios for modelling The modelling involved a three stage process; initially farm system changes were modelled in FARMAX, with this system then modelled in OVERSEER. Because FARMAX does not model forestry systems or economics, and OVERSEER does not model carbon sequestration, the scenarios were also run through the Radiata Pine Calculator, and the resultant total economic situation and carbon sequestration calculated via spreadsheet. Given that OVERSEER was being used to model the GHG emissions, changes in nutrient discharges (N and P) were also noted

Communal Land Ownership and Agricultural Development: Overcoming Technical Efficiency Constraints Among Fiji’s Indigenous Sugercane Growers

Communal land ownership is frequently considered a constraint on farm productivity as farmers endeavour to balance socio-cultural obligations with the demands of commercial agriculture. Recently, the Fiji Government has encouraged indigenous Fijians to take up profitable sugarcane growing using traditional practices of ‘communal farming’. Using Stochastic Frontier Analysis, this study finds that under certain conditions, farm productivity and technical efficiency increased for farmers in these co-operative farming groups. It also finds that there were improvements among inexperienced farmers who resided in villages, previously the group at the highest risk of performing poorly. The realisation of these outcomes lies in the influence of a firm structure that allows the expression of cultural and traditional practices, rather than their suppression, while also consenting to the accumulation of economic wealth within a culturally acceptable framework.

NPR - USING BENCHMARKING AND KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TO COMMUNICATE BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN LARGE FARMING ENTERPRISES

One of the challenges faced by MÄori Trusts and Incorporations is complex ownership and the resulting need for timely and useful information to be available to all levels of the organisation that can facilitate good decision-making. A pilot programme involving 6 MÄori corporate farming enterprises, used benchmarking, KPI’s and whole farm review as tools to inform changes to meet future objectives. Twenty nine responses were documented highlighting changes from simple examination of current farm practice. Benchmarking provided a set of data to examine the current state of the farm and highlight where changes may be made. However, the group identified many issues with using industry production and profitability benchmarks, mainly due to different governance and management structures, scale and farm objectives. The tools used had the power to provide an appropriate way of communicating both the needs and direction of change between the layers of management and governance