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Primary sector investment projects
Find out about projects that have been funded through the Primary Sector Growth Fund and Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures.
Your search returned 358 projects
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- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $80,000
- Co-investment funding: $124,444
- Sectors: Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Kiwifruit
- Project partners: Victoria Cottages Limited trading as BA Pumps and Sprayers
- Regions: Nationwide
- Expected outcomes: Development of new products, technology, IP, Effective mitigation of pests and diseases, Higher productivity, Improved capability, Reduced chemical usage where it damages the environment
- Project spend to date: $76,000 (as at 30 June 2025)
This project will combine technologies to design, build and test a new sprayer system for kiwifruit. This concept is expected to allow more targeted spraying and reduce spray losses to soil and air.
A Lighter Touch
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 7 years
- MPI funding: $10,829,252
- Co-investment funding: $16,243,877
- Sectors: Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Apples and pears, Viticulture
- Project partners: Horticulture New Zealand, with affiliated programme participants
- Regions: Nationwide
- Expected outcomes: Agility to respond rapidly to changing needs, Maintained/improved market access, Reduced chemical usage where it damages the environment
- Project spend to date: $6,982,697 (as at 30 June 2025)
‘A Lighter Touch’ brings the horticulture, wine, and arable sectors together to find ways to meet consumer demands for food produced through more sustainable pest management practices. It seeks to shift the focus away from traditional crop protection, and integrate biological and ecological processes into food production in New Zealand.
Media releases
Flowering plants may hold key to pesticide reduction on citrus orchards – MPI media release
Govt backing horticulture to succeed – Beehive
Programme documents
A Lighter Touch outcome logic model [PDF, 113 KB]
A Lighter Touch mid-term programme review [PDF, 1.3 MB]
Quarterly progress report summaries
April to June 2025: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 465 KB]
January to March 2025: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 473 KB]
October to December 2024: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 514 KB]
July to September 2024: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 683 KB]
April to June 2024: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 929 KB]
January to March 2024: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 609 KB]
October to December 2023: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 410 KB]
July to September 2023: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 2.4 MB]
April to June 2023: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 1.2 MB]
January to March 2023: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 322 KB]
October to December 2022: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 267 KB]
April to June 2022: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 281 KB]
January to March 2022: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 289 KB]
July to September 2021: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 266 KB]
April to June 2021: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 270 KB]
January to March 2021: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 214 KB]
October to December 2020: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 435 KB]
July to September 2020: A Lighter Touch progress report [PDF, 317 KB]
NZ's crop production is changing for the better – A Lighter Touch
A novel approach to probiotics for production animals
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $19,500
- Co-investment funding: $41,900
- Sectors: Dairy
- Sub-sectors: Other animal dairy products/research
- Project partners: BioBrew
- Regions: Nationwide
BioBrew aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of probiotics for lambing to provide farmers with a means to reduce the use of anthelmintics (antiparasitic drugs), while maintaining production and profitability.
A scoping study of x-ray technology as a potential phytosanitary treatment for New Zealand fresh produce exports
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $96,832
- Co-investment funding: $121,168
- Sectors: Agritech, Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Apples and pears
- Project partners: Apples and Pears
- Regions: Nationwide
The horticulture industry investigated the potential use of x-ray technology for treating fruit and vegetables as a pest control treatment. The treatment is increasingly used globally and could provide new export opportunities for New Zealand. The report details fruit and vegetables suitable for x-ray treatment and the feasibility of building a facility in New Zealand based on potential use.
A strategy for diversified arable cropping as a valuable land-use
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $29,600
- Co-investment funding: $44,650
- Sectors: Arable
- Sub-sectors: Forage
- Project partners: Foundation for Arable Research
- Regions: Nationwide
The project developed an arable sector strategy to identify specific opportunities to support the transition from the current commodity focused industry. This includes a whole of value chain approach to enhance domestic and export growth.
The next steps are to hold workshops in 2024 to confirm priorities and actions for arable sector growth. These will involve arable growers, arable sector industry bodies, pan-primary sector interests, food manufacturers and food product innovators.
Accelerated breeding of healthy calves from in vitro produced embryos
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 4 years
- MPI funding: $1,590,020
- Co-investment funding: $2,385,268
- Sectors: Dairy
- Sub-sectors: Other animal dairy products/research
- Project partners: Animal Breeding Services Ltd
- Regions: Nationwide
- Expected outcomes: Climate change mitigation and prevention, Development of new products, technology, IP, Genetic Improvement, Higher productivity, Improved animal health
- Project spend to date: $1,220,013 (as at 30 June 2025)
Working in partnership with CRV-Genomics, Bellevue Enterprises Ltd and AgResearch, Animal Breeding Services Ltd will address the issue of Large Offspring Syndrome in dairy cattle, which is caused by in-vitro embryo production. The project will find a way to measure gene expression during embryo in-vitro culture (IVC) and investigate IVC mediums that improve embryo transfer and calf development.
Accelerated scale-up of an Atkins Ranch Savory Institute Producer Group
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $142,480
- Co-investment funding: $213,720
- Sectors: Meat, Regenerative agriculture
- Sub-sectors: Other meat products/research
- Project partners: Lean Meats Limited
- Regions: Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Northland, Taranaki, Waikato, Wairarapa, Wellington
This project shared learnings and increased understanding and roll-out of regenerative farming practices across suppliers, including measuring impacts on farm. The work sought to establish B2B commercial partnerships with brands, leveraging regenerative products and Savory verification - including for lower value animal parts, such as pelts. The Atkins Ranch Savory Institute Producer Group captured a price premium in market and at farm gate for regenerative verification.
Accelerating growth of Tai Tokerau’s food and beverage manufacturing sector
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $86,720
- Co-investment funding: $224,200
- Sectors: Food and beverage products, Horticulture
- Project partners: Northland Inc, Far North Holdings Limited
- Regions: Northland
The project completed a feasibility study into establishing a shared food and beverage manufacturing facility in Te Tai Tokerau. The study found strong community and industry demand for processes such as juicing, freeze-drying, powdering and extraction. The next steps are finalising the draft business plan to attract investment for building the facility at Ngawha I&E Park.
Accelerating New Zealand medicinal cannabis industry
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $761,136
- Co-investment funding: $1,141,704
- Sectors: Nutraceuticals/medical
- Project partners: Greenlab
- Regions: Nationwide
- Expected outcomes: Effective mitigation of pests and diseases, Higher value/lower impact land use, Improved information and insights
- Project spend to date: $696,654 (as at 30 June 2025)
This project will establish optimum cultivation practices for growing New Zealand-sourced strains of medicinal cannabis in a controlled environment. This information will enable licensed growers to consistently produce cannabis flowers with specific medicinal compounds.
Actioning the New Zealand Honey Strategy – stage 1
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $309,000
- Co-investment funding: $181,000
- Sectors: Apiculture
- Project partners: Apiculture New Zealand Incorporated
- Regions: Nationwide
- Expected outcomes: Creation of regional employment opportunities, Development of new products, technology, IP, Higher-value sector growth, Improved information and insights
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Project spend to date:
$211,000 (as at 30 June 2025)
This project will establish a work programme to act on the recommendations made in the sector plan Thriving Together: Futureproofing New Zealand Apiculture 2024-2030, which supports a goal of doubling New Zealand’s honey export value by 2030. The project aims to create stability for the industry, with a clear pathway for independent growth and investment.
New Zealand Honey Strategy resets industry ambitions for a strong future – Apiculture New Zealand
Advanced NZ lignin commercialisation
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $442,693
- Co-investment funding: $664,039
- Sectors: Forestry
- Sub-sectors: Other forestry products/research
- Project partners: Futurity Bio Ventures Ltd
- Regions: Bay of Plenty, Waikato
This project aimed to commercially validate the technology to produce advanced lignin raw materials derived from the by-product of the wood pulping process (black liquor). Futurity has advanced the understanding of how New Zealand lignin from radiata pine can be commercially competitive and provide low-carbon alternatives to petrochemicals. Increasing the scale of production of lignin toward pilot scale has demonstrated that this is technically possible.
Advancing mussel restoration for the Top of the South Island
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $667,500
- Co-investment funding: $490,000
- Sectors: Seafood/aquatic
- Sub-sectors: Farmed - marine shellfish
- Project partners: Marine Farming Association Incorporated
- Regions: Marlborough, Nelson
- Expected outcomes: Improved capability, Improved information and insights, Improved waste management
- Project spend to date: $584,450 (as at 30 June 2025)
This project builds on previous knowledge and sees restoration efforts extended into two new regions. It focuses on restoring wild mussel beds, understanding spat recruitment and using recycled shells to create habitats.
Advancing soil health on-farm and understanding impacts on dairy farm economic and environmental performance
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 5 years
- MPI funding: $2,815,500
- Co-investment funding: $1,040,400
- Sectors: Dairy, Regenerative agriculture
- Sub-sectors: Other animal dairy products/research
- Project partners: Synlait Milk Ltd, Danone Nutricia NZ Ltd
- Regions: Canterbury, Otago, Southland, Waikato
- Expected outcomes: Higher value/lower impact land use, Improved soil quality, Reduced chemical usage where it damages the environment
-
Project spend to date:
$2,075,000 (as at 30 June 2025)
Synlait and Danone are partnering with AgResearch to benchmark and optimise soil health across 10 of their supplier farms. Regenerative practices such as hyper diverse pastures and limits on synthetic N fertilisers will be compared with conventional practices to build evidence on the impact of regenerative farming on soil health in New Zealand. The farms wider financial and environmental performance will also be evaluated.
Regenerative agriculture research receives Government boost – Beehive
Advisory support for agricultural and horticultural science in schools
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 5 years
- MPI funding: $1,600,000
- Co-investment funding: $400,000
- Sectors: Dairy, Horticulture, Meat, Sector resilience
- Project partners: Waikato Anglican College Trust
- Regions: Nationwide
- Expected outcomes: Improved capability, Regional Growth, Right-sized labour supply
- Project spend to date: $770,000 (as at 30 June 2025)
This project will increase support for agriculture and horticulture science teachers in secondary schools. It will develop a support network of one full-time adviser and a support person based at St Paul’s Collegiate, and up to 16 part-time regionally based advisers. The network will provide support to teachers, create resources, and provide links to local primary industry partners.
Boost for agricultural and horticultural science in schools – Beehive
AGR96X grass grub and manuka beetle biopesticide
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $345,000
- Co-investment funding: $510,000
- Sectors: Arable, Horticulture
- Project partners: Grasslanz Technology Limited
- Regions: Nationwide
- Expected outcomes: Development of new products, technology, IP, Effective mitigation of pests and diseases, Higher productivity, Increased R&D investment and capability, Reduced chemical usage where it damages the environment
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Project spend to date:
$108,750 (as at 30 June 2025)
The project seeks to further the development of AGR96X, a biopesticide (bacterium) effective against grass grub and manuka beetle. It aims to extend its stability under both refrigeration and ambient condition and develop different and potentially better ways to use this biopesticide in a wider range of farm systems.
Ahikā Kai Waiwera
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $125,000
- Co-investment funding: $25,000
- Sectors: Māori agribusiness, Regenerative agriculture
- Project partners: Ahikā Kai Wairewa
- Regions: Canterbury
Ahikā Kai Wairewa was a Wairewa marae initiative to connect landowners within our takiwā with opportunities to generate income and ensure food security through regenerative agriculture. The project enabled whānau to connect with each other and their culture as a pathway to health and self-determination. The project utilised a māra as the platform for engagement and capacity building and an incubator for other whenua-based opportunities.
Note: This project was managed by MPI's Māori Agribusiness team
Aotea Kiwifruit Collective
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $450,450
- Co-investment funding: $90,090
- Sectors: Horticulture, Māori agribusiness
- Sub-sectors: Kiwifruit
- Project partners: Aotea Kiwifruit Collective
- Regions: Taranaki
This project aims to support a cluster of Māori landowners in Aotea/Taranaki region to advance work to establish kiwifruit orchards, including consultation with landowners, orchard design plans and developing investment memoranda. The project follows a prior phase 1 MABx project to understand the suitability of the whenua to sustain productive and viable kiwifruit operations.
Note: This project is being managed by MPI's Māori Agribusiness team
Ātihau-Whanganui research and innovation project
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $433,920
- Co-investment funding: $301,280
- Sectors: Apiculture, Māori agribusiness
- Sub-sectors: Other apiculture products (wax/pollen products)
- Project partners: Ātihau-Whanganui Inc
- Regions: Manawatū-Whanganui
- Expected outcomes: Higher value/lower impact land use, Higher-value sector growth, More resilient communities
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Project spend to date:
$151,200 (as at 30 June 2025)
The project will enable Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporated to apply a Māori lens and a focus on sustainability to inform their apiculture, farming practices and subsequent market supply. The project includes mātauranga Māori farming research, mānuka management research and market analysis.
Automated identification and measurement of legally released fish
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $169,742
- Co-investment funding: $37,539
- Sectors: Agritech, Seafood/aquatic
- Sub-sectors: Other fisheries research - data, Wild - inshore fisheries
- Project partners: Fisheries Inshore New Zealand
- Regions: Nationwide
This project aimed to develop an integrated tool that combined the use of cameras, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to automatically measure fish legally released at sea. Changes to landings and discard policy changed the scope of the project. The research methodology was used to demonstrate how machine learning and AI development can advance fisheries management and monitoring in New Zealand. It focused on improving data utilisation and incorporating technology to support future management. The next step for the project team will be to find opportunities to apply their AI research in a commercial factory setting and on a wider variety of different vessels, to test the robustness of the model.
Automating Shellfish Harvest Assessments to Increase Yield
- Fund name: SFF Futures
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $386,000
- Co-investment funding: $599,000
- Sectors: Seafood/aquatic
- Sub-sectors: Farmed - marine shellfish
- Project partners: Harvest Hub Limited, Nelson AI Institute, MacLab
- Regions: Nelson
- Expected outcomes: Creation of regional employment opportunities, Development of new products, technology, IP, Higher productivity, Higher value/lower impact land use, Improved capability, Improved information and insights, Increased farm gate returns
- Project spend to date: $336,000 (as at 30 June 2025)
This project aims to build an artificial intelligence platform that will enable marine farmers to consistently predict shellfish meat yield. Accurate harvest yield assessments have the potential to significantly increase production value. This would result in economic gains and encourage further investment in this highly sustainable industry.
