Dead-ends or Transformation: Redesigning New Zealand farming to thrive through change

The environmental, social and economic contexts in which we farm and grow are changing rapidly. The pressure many primary sector New Zealanders feel is the collision of ‘business as usual’ with accelerating forces of change. Under these new conditions, protecting long-held structures and models becomes untenable. To thrive in a challenging new world, we must choose to self-disrupt and transform fundamental parts of our sector: however difficult that process may be.

This is the core insight of the Nuffield 2021 ‘World Tour of New Zealand’ – a redesigned Nuffield Farming Scholarship experience that saw 10 emerging primary sector leaders travel the length of the country to gather insights into the challenges and opportunities ahead.

This report is a culmination of those insights, as viewed through five pillars fundamental to a thriving NZ food and fibre sector:

Incentives – How the end of the ’farming for capital gain’ model is forcing us to redefine value, and restructure our organisations to capture it.

David Eade and Ben Anderson

Innovation – Mapping innovation potential across the sector to find what separates the status quo from the game-changers.

Shannon Harnett and Ben Mclauchlan

People – How leading organisations put people at the centre of what they do.

Lynsey Stratford and Edward Pinckney

Silos – How systemic silos across leadership, research and data management are restricting the potential of the sector.

Philip Weir and John Foley

Leadership – Why transformation must be led by values and purpose-driven leaders.

Tracy Brown and Daniel Eb

This report builds on the 2020 Nuffield Scholars Insights and represents the start of our individual study in chosen areas. We encourage those who wish to support our research to get in touch – our contact details are included throughout.

Finally, our sincere thanks to the many hundreds of primary sector New Zealanders who shared time and insights with us along the way. While there is a need for great transformation ahead, your pride, passion and talent are a reminder that we can and will get there.

Ngā mihi nui

The 2020 and 2021 New Zealand Nuffield Farming Scholars