Pathways to Transition

We are growing understanding of what it takes to transition to resilient, healthy and prosperous futures, and are developing tools to help

Science Theme Leader

Helen Percy – AgResearch

For New Zealand to achieve its environmental goals, we need to quickly adopt new technology and provide incentives to help farmers and growers transition to the most sustainable land use and management practices.

Previously, it’s taken about 16 years to reach peak uptake of new research or technology. Pathways to Transition research aimed to halve the time to adoption.

We developed collaborative processes and planning tools for environmental decision-makers, so affected communities are fully included in decisions to develop transition pathways, decreasing ongoing conflict.

We aimed to diagnose systemic barriers and co-design incentives to enable land-use change on a large scale.

Our work increased the capability of Our Land and Water scientists to collaborate and co-design research with industry, Māori and rural communities, changing the way we do science to accelerate uptake.

Pathways to Transition research was underpinned by the te āo Māori understanding that collective guardianship and shared responsibility is necessary for the long-term wellbeing of Papatūānuku (Earth).