Food, Farming & Freshwater Roadshow – Marlborough

Food, Farming & Freshwater Roadshow: Local scenarios with practical applications.

The team from Our Land and Water National Science Challenge are on the road again, bringing to you a range of speakers to present practical science research for farmers. A special thanks to our event partner NZ Landcare Trust.

You are invited to join this informative day looking at the role of rural communities in the sustainable future of our primary sector and explore local scenarios with practical applications you can use in your everyday work. This event offers an opportunity to delve into independent research discoveries and engage in thought-provoking discussions. Leading independent researchers will each give a brief outlook of opportunities, some threats, and current (and future) signals in our markets.

Register below.

Discussion areas and speakers:

EU Farm to Fork – Tiffany Tompkins, OANZ
The European Union’s Green Deal, especially the Farm to Fork Strategy, presents challenges and opportunities for New Zealand exports into the EU, and into other regions that adopt similar standards in response. What opportunities exist and how are we placed to capitalise on these now and into the future?

Crop Disease Under Climate Change – John Saunders, Lincoln University
Many plant diseases thrive in warm spring temperatures, and the risk to our $6 billion horticulture sector is likely to increase as climate change impacts New Zealand. For growers to successfully adapt they need to know how future temperature, moisture conditions, and extreme weather events will change disease risks and seasonal plant susceptibility. This research looked at how to achieve this and investigated the potential impacts on our global agricultural markets.

Matrix of Drivers – Tim Driver, Lincoln University
What we grow and produce is influenced and impacted by many external factors, or drivers. The Matrix of Drivers research team developed an overview of all the known drivers and issues that have the potential to affect agricultural land and water use in New Zealand. What opportunities can this present and how can we use this knowledge into the future?

Revitalise Te Taiao, Rere ki Uta Rere ti Kai – Heather Collins
Rere ki Ute, Rere ki Tai is part of the Revitalise Te Taiao research programme which has worked alongside agribusiness and communities to revitalise te Taiao (the environment). The project looked to find out whether using farming methods that enhance the soil are more resilient, more profitable, more able to withstand environmental, societal and regulatory pressure, and healthier for all. On-farm, the research considers whole-of-system wellbeing through metrics across soil health, animal wellbeing, milk and meat quality, and ecological and environmental health, as well as looking at financial measures of farm success.

Diverse Experiences of Farming – Janet Reid Massey University
By better understanding the underlying worldviews that shape perceptions of farming and the agri-food industry, this project will help a connection between producers and consumers. A core component of the project includes understanding, identifying, articulating, and visualising experiences of agriculture among various stakeholders, industry, community groups and others.

Future Land Use Scenarios – Lee Matheson, Perrin Ag
Land stewards need evidence to support suggestions that farming changes will lead to improvements in local waterways that are in proportion to their investment. This project modelled how a water quality target can be met in three catchments, including the Rai Valley, by changing land use without compromising profitability, or resulting in other environmental impacts.

Resources will be available and lunch provided. For catering purposes, please RSVP below or call Mark Woods on 027 656 0836 with any queries.

Available on the day will be a range of free guidance and tools to help farmers with freshwater management. Talk to the researchers as they show how they have worked alongside farmers and growers to achieve and identify common goals and opportunities.