Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures projects

This project will establish best practice for growing top-quality red kiwifruit in the Nelson Tasman region. It aims to discover the pre-harvest factors that affect post-harvest quality. It will also identify the most effective methods of picking, packing, cooling, storing, and shipping.

This project aims to create a prototype for an online mapping and information tool that draws together existing data and knowledge about low temperature geothermal resource availability in the greater Auckland, Northern Waikato, and Bay of Plenty regions, and how to use it for temperature control of covered crop operations. This will provide growers with accessible and understandable information on geothermal potential when considering energy decarbonisation options for their operations.

This project aims to create a globally distinctive and enduring brand identity and provenance story that encourages consumers to seek mānuka honey from New Zealand.

This project aims to re-establish commercial and customary farming of native rock oysters in Whangaroa and surrounding harbours in Tai Tokerau. If successful, it will establish a high performing native rock oyster broodstock, proven hatchery and grow-out processes, and optimise the product format to meet consumer market demands. A key focus of the project is to deliver employee training, developing capability in the technical and on-farm processes that will enable a reliable and scalable supply chain.

SFF Futures is supporting phase three of the Land of Life model in Hawke’s Bay, which explores alternative pathways for hill country farmers to retain overall farming profitability, beyond whole-farm conversions to forestry. This includes enabling access to green financing for on-farm interventions. Phase three will build on the initial trials carried out on 12 pilot farms in Hawke’s Bay. It will develop, validate and demonstrate the Land for Life model’s ability to scale across 90 farms and beyond – with the view to rolling out nationally eventually.

Government partners to boost rural productivity in Hawke’s Bay – Government media release

This project aims to develop a non-fluorinated waterproof breathable membrane, using materials of a bio-origin. It will create weather-proof garments laminated with New Zealand wool-based fabrics that are sustainable and high performing.

This project will allow Bluff Oyster Management Company (BOMC) to modernise and enhance its data collection and management processes to provide near real time information needed to better inform management decisions, building the foundation of a more resilient fishery. This will include digitising the existing manual logbook, and introducing software technology to disseminate data in near real time to skippers, fisheries scientists, and managers.

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.

This project aims to develop and implement a new business model to strengthen NZYF membership structure and ensure ongoing financial sustainability.

This programme will pilot New Zealand's first open ocean salmon farm, together with technology to produce productive and resilient king salmon stock at scale.

Going for growth in exports and aquaculture – Beehive

The Mello project will research, test, refine and prepare for commercialisation a Soju-based ready to drink (RTD) product using natural fruit flavouring. The project will pave the way to help reduce fruit waste and create an additional revenue stream from a new drink product marketed domestically and overseas.

This project aims to develop a prototype compact autonomous electric towing vehicle and an integrated electric drive system for auxiliary equipment, including mowers, mulchers and sprayers. These are for commercialisation in the horticultural, viticultural and turf management markets. If successfully commercialised, this innovation would reduce carbon emissions, enhance productivity, promote sustainability, and establish New Zealand as a leader in autonomous electric agricultural technology.

This project works to scale microbially-derived dairy proteins from 20 litres to a pre-industrial scale. This includes researching and optimising fermenter design for price and quality, and showcasing that this technology can be applied to produce food proteins. The project also investigates the viability of continuous fermentation processes and their impact on the bottom line and unit economics.