Taiao Ora, Tangata Ora – Creating a Transformative Pathways

Taiao Ora, Tangata Ora is a four-year programme of work to create transformative pathways for Aotearoa New Zealand’s food and fibres sector, based on genuine partnership and shared values between Māori and Pākehā. It is an invitation to willing farmers, growers and businesses who are committed to building a new way of producing food and fibre that puts the wellbeing of our natural world first.

What’s the initiative?
AGMARDT, along with the Ministry for Primary Industries, are supporting a nine-month establishment programme to ready Taiao Ora, Tangata Ora for implementation in 2022.

What does Taiao Ora, Tangata Ora aim to achieve and what impact will the programme have on the sector?
The framework and pathways will enable Māori and Pākehā farmers, growers, fishers and food and fibres businesses to achieve regeneration and wellbeing of land, water, climate and living beings, including in rural, urban and coastal communities.

What is the progress to date?
The programme has involved co-designing action plans across four pathways – on-farm, in-catchment, across value chain and in-market as well as the leadership and operations model supported by a multi-year business plan. A data and analytics tool to measure and monitor the programme has also been developed.

What are the future aspirations/next steps?
The focus is on building and resourcing a community of first-generation farmers and growers and businesses who will lead, test and refine prototypes and ultimately provide an environmentally, socially and commercially safe operating space through achieving transformative practice changes. By 2026 Taiao Ora, Tangata Ora aims to have delivered 40 prototypes on farms and two prototypes in catchments. By 2032 it will have 6000 member farmers and growers, who are leading a cultural shift in the way businesses relate to Te Taiao (the environment that sustains and surrounds us).

“Taiao Ora, Tangata Ora opens up a new way of living and working for the sector that is unique and valuable in Aotearoa New Zealand and can be an exemplar to the world.”
Stephanie Howard, Programme Manager and Steering Group Member of Taiao Ora.