Lessons from Our Land and Water

The Our Land and Water National Science Challenge journey to a Tiriti-led science partnership: the lived experience and the lessons learned

Project Details Ngā taipitopito

Project Status:
Completed
Challenge funding:
$300,000
Research duration:
August 2022 – December 2023

Collaborators Ngā haumi

AgResearch | McKeague Consulting | NZIER | Orangahau

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What are we doing? E aha ana mātou?

Our Land and Water began funding research in 2016, as one of 11 National Science Challenges established to use a mission-oriented approach to focus on issues of national importance identified by the New Zealand public. All National Science Challenges were expected to partner effectively with Māori, guided by the Vision Mātauranga policy.

In 2018, Our Land and Water reassessed its strategy as part of the ‘mid-way review’ of the National Science Challenges. This led to a commitment to embed te ao Māori at the heart of the Challenge, to support re-imagining the agri-food and fibre system in ways unique to Aotearoa. The concept of te Taiao was introduced as the frame for Our Land and Water’s research planning.

Applying a te ao Māori lens to the development and commissioning of a mission-led, impact-focused research portfolio is new for mainstream research in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our Land and Water therefore represents an experiment within the National Science Challenge experiment.

This project is a self-examination of what has been learned and the results of this experiment, using qualitative and quantitative research methods.

E aha ana mātou?

I tīmata a Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai ki te tuku pūtea ki te rangahau i te tau 2016, hei tētahi o ngā National Science Challenges 11 i whakatūria hei whakamahi i tētahi aronga aro-whāinga ki te arotahi ki ngā take hira ā-motu i tautuhia e te marea o Aotearoa. Ko te kawatau kia whakahoa pai ngā National Science Challenges katoa ki a ngāi Māori, e arahina ana e te kaupapa here Vision Mātauranga.

I te tau 2018, i arotake anō a Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai i tana rautaki hei wāhanga o te ‘arotake waenga’ o ngā National Science Challenges. Nā konei tētahi takohanga ki te whakaū i te ao Māori ki te ngako o te Challenge, hei tautoko i te pohewa anō i te pūnaha ahumahi o te kai, o te kaka hoki mā ngā ara e ahurei ana ki a Aotearoa. I whakaurua te ariā o te Taiao hei te anga mō te whakamahere rangahau a Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai.

He mea hou ki te rangahau auraki i Aotearoa te whakahāngai i te arotahi o te ao Māori ki te whakawhanaketanga, ki te utunga hoki o tētahi kōpaki rangahau ka arahina e te whāinga, ka arotahi ki ngā pānga hoki. Nā reira e whakakanohi ana a Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai i tētahi whakamātau ki roto tonu i te whakamātau o te National Science Challenge.

Ko tēnei kaupapa he āta tirohanga ki a ia anō mō ngā āhuatanga kua ākona, mō ngā putanga hoki o tēnei whakamātau, mā te whakamahi i ngā tikanga rangahau inekounga, tatau anō hoki.

How can the research be used?Ka pēhea e whai take ai te rangahau?

  • This reflective project will provide key evidence for how research in Aotearoa New Zealand can support the goals of the Vision Mātauranga policy. A case study document will be produced for the Rauika Māngai, a group of senior Māori researchers from across the National Science Challenges. The case study will contribute to a document being prepared by the Rauika Māngai that will provide guidance on implementing Vision Mātauranga based on the variety of approaches trialled by the National Science Challenges.
  • A policy-focused report will provide information to inform and improve science policy in New Zealand and provide lessons for Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways, the restructure of the science sector.
  • A journal article will share learning from the Our Land and Water experiment with researchers and governments overseas and in New Zealand who are interested in the potential of mission-oriented innovation to address complex issues, and the implementation of bicultural science partnerships.
  • These three outputs correspond to three expected areas of impact: support Rauika Māngai and Māori researchers to improve science in New Zealand; inform policy-makers and funders to improve science policy in New Zealand; and document and share the Our Land and Water experience and learning among fellow researchers to reflect on a partnership approach and a mission-oriented approach to research to address complex issues.

Ka pēhea e whai take ai te rangahau?

  • Ka tukuna e tēnei kaupapa huritao te whakaaturanga matua mō ngā ara ka taea e te rangahau i Aotearoa te tautoko i ngā whāinga o te kaupapa here Vision Mātauranga. Ka whakaputaina tētahi tuhinga mātai kēhi mā te Rauika Māngai, arā mā tētahi rōpū o ngā kairangahau Māori matua nō ngā National Science Challenges. Ka āwhina te mātai kēhi kia whakaritea tētahi tuhinga e te Rauika Māngai, ka tuku i te aratohu mō te whakatinana i Vision Mātauranga i runga i ngā tini aronga i whakamātauhia e ngā National Science Challenges.
  • Ka tukuna e tētahi pūrongo aro-kaupapa here te mōhiohio hei whakamōhio atu, hei whakapai ake hoki i te kaupapa here pūtaiao i Aotearoa, ā, ka tukuna hoki he akoranga mō Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways, arā mō te hanganga anō o te rāngai pūtaiao.
  • Ka tuari tētahi atikara hautaka i ngā akoranga mai i te whakamātau Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai, ki ngā kairangahau, ki ngā kāwanatanga hoki i tāwāhi, i Aotearoa anō hoki, e aro mai ana ki te pito mata o te auahatanga aro-whāinga hei anganui ki ngā take matatini, ki te whakatinanatanga o ngā houruatanga pūtaiao kākano rua anō hoki.
  • E hāngai ana ēnei putanga e toru ki ngā kaupapa e toru o te pānga i whakapaetia: te tautoko i a Rauika Māngai, i ngā kairangahau Māori hoki hei whakapai ake i te pūtaiao i Aotearoa; te whakamōhio i ngā kaihanga kaupapa here, i ngā kaituku pūtea hoki hei whakapai ake i te kaupapa here pūtaiao i Aotearoa; me te tuhi, te tuari hoki i te wheako, i ngā akoranga hoki o Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai i roto i ngā hoa kairangahau hei huritao i te aronga houruatanga, i te aronga aro-whāinga hoki mō te rangahau hei anganui ki ngā take matatini.

Participation & engagement Te hunga i whai wāhi mai

  • Qualitative interviews will be conducted with Our Land and Water leadership and staff (past and present), governance group, collaborators, stakeholders and the National Science Challenge funder MBIE.
  • The project team will collaborate with the Rauika Māngai to understand the successes and shortfalls of Our land and Water’s experience with the te Taiao model.
  • Kōrero with Māori land trusts, incorporations and other entities, and discussions with people in the agri-food and fibre sector will contribute to communicating findings and ‘lessons’ in a practical and useful way.
  • A survey of research leaders will help the project team understand their experience interacting with others in the Our Land and Water Challenge.

Research team Te hunga i whai wāhi mai

Science Lead / Quantitative Research
Bill Kaye-Blake
NZIER
Qualitative Research
Helen Percy
AgResearch
Te Ao Māori Lead
Selai Letica
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Tagata Pasifika
Orangahau
End-User Research
Susie McKeague
McKeague Consulting

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