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SFF Futures projects: cross-category
The projects are listed according to their start dates. The latest project is at the top.
Takapau - A digital mat
Project start: 8 July 2021
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $230,150
Industry funding: $106,440
Industry partner: Haunui Technology Group
Region: Hawke's Bay
This project aims to enable Māori landowners to achieve greater environmental, economic, cultural, and social benefits for whānau, hapū, iwi. It will improve productivity of Māori-owned land through the deployment of a proof-of-concept agricultural technology platform. This includes developing a system that combines mātauranga Māori with environmental data and artificial intelligence to implement sustainable farming practices.
Supporting Otago South catchment groups to improve ecosystem health
Project start: 1 July 2021
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $1,804,977
Industry funding: $1,669,499
Industry partner: Otago South River Care
Region: Otago
This project will engage South Otago communities to improve ecosystem health, freshwater quality, and increase the value of food and fibre products produced in the district. The project involves community and school events, establishing farmer networks and catchment groups, implementation and demonstration of good management practices, water quality testing, the development of new innovative mitigation options, and research into consumer expectations for sustainable, high value food and fibre.
$1.8m for water quality work – Otago Daily Times
Evaluating regenerative farming principles and developing farmer resilience on a dryland demonstration farm
Project start: 22 June 2021
Project length: 4.5 years
MPI funding: $1,530,000
Industry funding: $550,000
Industry partner: On-Farm Research, AgFirst, Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Barenburg New Zealand, Poukawa Research Foundation
Region: Hawke's Bay
This project will scientifically test and incorporate new forage management practices and principles of regenerative farming into a dryland sheep and cattle farming system. Practices like utilising compost, diverse seed mixtures, longer feed residuals, and deferred grazing will be compared against conventional farming practices within a dryland system. The project will also focus on improving farmer resilience and decision making.
Multi-weed biocontrol
Project start: 14 June 2021
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $2,090,000
Industry funding: $1,200,000
Industry partner: Landcare Research New Zealand Limited, the National Biocontrol Collective (a consortium of regional councils, unitary authorities, and DOC)
Region: Nationwide
This project will develop simultaneous biocontrol solutions for 6 high priority weeds through a coordinated national research project with the National Biocontrol Collective. These weeds are costly to control for landowners and councils. Over time, successful biocontrol of these weeds will reduce the need to use conventional herbicides. Productivity of the land will be improved, as well as farmers' ability to comply with environmental regulations.
Media release: Nationwide project offers hope in war against weeds
Implementing a transformative business model for New Zealand Young Farmers
Project start: 14 May 2021
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $1,760,000
Industry funding: $711,288
Industry partner: New Zealand Young Farmers
Region: Nationwide
This project will enable New Zealand Young Farmers to better support young people in the primary sector by strengthening its core business, future-proofing the organisation, and ensuring its financial sustainability.
Investing in the future of New Zealand Young Farmers – Government media release
Understanding the global market potential for NZ sheep and beef farmers adopting regenerative agriculture
Project start: 18 July 2020
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $390,000
Industry funding: $260,000
Industry partner: Beef + Lamb NZ, Bragato Research Institute
Region: Nationwide
This project is researching the global market potential of regenerative agriculture for New Zealand’s sheep, beef and wine sectors. It seeks to understand consumers’ attitudes and to provide a large-scale, evidence-based picture of the potential market upsides – or downsides – of regenerative agriculture.
Daily catch (COVID-19 response)
Project start: 18 June 2020
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $624,316
Industry funding: $392,492+
Industry partner: Snap Information Technologies Ltd
Region: Tasman
Daily Catch is developing an online marketplace to connect small primary producers with local customers. The platform will provide producers with a website to showcase their products alongside insights into how they are produced. This project was developed to support innovation in the supply chain and increase local produce sales during COVID-19.
Farming 2030
Project start: 8 May 2020
Project length: 1 year
MPI funding: $38,500
Industry funding: $29,175
Industry partner: Tasman Environmental Trust
Region: Nelson
A pilot farm in Golden Bay is trialling the development of a holistic sustainable farming model. This will include exploring farming practices that reduce on-farm greenhouse gas emissions, increase the sequestration of carbon in the soil and improve water quality. The knowledge gained will be shared with the New Zealand farming community.
Branching Out – diversifying land use and adding to Taranaki’s food and fibre value chains
Project start: 26 February 2020
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $594,800
Industry funding: $319,000
Industry partner: Venture Taranaki
Region: Taranaki
‘Branching Out’ will explore, investigate and potentially pilot new commercial opportunities in Taranaki's food and fibres sectors. The project aims to stimulate more diverse and complementary forms of land usage within the region to boost Taranaki’s economy.
New programme to boost high-value products in Taranaki – Government media release
