Māori research programme

The Māori research strategy programme seeks to support a future for Māori farming where whānau, hapū, iwi and their whenua are thriving, with agriculturally based food production systems that are lower in emissions, sustainable and self-determined.  The strategy enables this by responding to the unique set of circumstances and cultural values in which Maori agribusinesses operate and by which decisions are made.  By recognising this, the strategy supports the development of bespoke solutions for the reduction of GHGs.  Those solutions have potential to contribute to national and international emissions reductions targets. 

The NZAGRC, through Pokapū Waro, has targeted funding towards Māori-led research into agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This has resulted in an increased focus on Mātauranga Māori and kaupapa Māori based solutions, related to reducing agricultural GHG emissions that support Māori to be a kaitiaki on their whenua. These actions include identifying key factors for productive Māori owned and managed land, that allows for efficient resource and emission management, alongside sustainable profitability.  

Strong relationships with Māori research partners are at the heart of our approach, creating opportunities to build and nurture enduring relationships that reflect the values of whanungatanga, manaakitanga, and taautuutu. These relationships are central to our projects, ensuring a collaborative, and sustainable impact for Māori communities.  In addition to the benefits to Māori land, the outcomes of Māori led programmes are beneficial to all of New Zealand’s agricultural sector.  

The opportunity now is to shape new research led by Māori farmers, landowners and agribusinesses that will support them to develop their own capabilities through, integrated farm systems solutions that address multiple economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes.

Mātai Whenua – Māori Knowledge Hub

With guidance from Toihau, Pokapū Waro has collaborated with Van Hattum Corsby to develop an innovative digital platform. Using open-source databases, this platform will engage with Māori landowners, providing valuable knowledge to support informed decision-making on land use and emissions. 

A key focus in 2023/24 was conducting user research, which revealed that current information and approaches don’t fully engage Māori in efforts to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. The research highlighted the need for a new narrative to increase engagement and participation in emissions reduction for Māori landowners. 

Parininihi Ki Waitotara  

This project aims to explore sustainable plant options as an alternative feed for intensive pastoral farming. This initiative aligns with Parininihi ki Waitotara's (PKW) commitment to maintaining a social license to operate with whānau stakeholders. PKW is undertaking this work to assess the technical and commercial viability of growing the plants at scale to provide an alternative to imported animal feed/feed supplements into the Taranaki region.  The assessment also includes exploring the methane inhibiting potential of the plant in ruminant animals as well as the positive environmental and nutritional benefits. 

A literature review of the methane reducing potential of the plant from ruminants has been undertaken. The review showed that limited in vitro research has been undertaken and that research is yet to yield conclusive evidence on its methane reduction qualities with no in vivo studies reported. The project concluded that further research was required to de-risk the opportunity and a draft research plan was developed.  The plan outlines a pathway for further in-vitro and in-vivo trials of the plant and its viability as a practical feed/feed supplement. The proposed research will assess the methane reduction properties by analysing the chemical composition. The aim is to quantify gas production and volatile fatty acid profiles during fermentation.  Beyond the in vitro study, proposed work involves potential animal trials and feed development for cattle and monogastric animals.  

Tahamata 

This project aims to develop ecological, economic, cultural, and farm management strategies to help Tahama Incorporation’s 490-hectare farm reduce agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. GIS is used to collect, organise, and visualise spatial data, providing a comprehensive understanding of the land’s ecological, cultural, and historical dimensions to inform and guide GHG reduction strategies.  By mapping the whenua and understanding the ecological, cultural and historical signficance of the whenua the owners will be better placed to make appropriate land use decisions resulting in reduced GHG emissions.  Key methodologies and insights from this project will be shared to guide similar efforts across other Māori-owned enterprises. 

In 2023/24, a week-long wānanga introduced the NZAGRC project to the Tahamata board, highlighting the opportunities it offers for sustainable land management. A comprehensive data design and collection plan has been created with guidance from Toitū Envirocare, a GHG carbon auditor, ensuring robust carbon accounting aligned with land-use change options. GIS data layers from public sources are being gathered and developed on-site. 

Field work is progressing, with initial photogrammetry modelling from the summer survey now complete. Hapū mātauranga has been integrated into a series of mapping graphics, enriching the project with insights into the unique character and history of the land. 

Mauri Oho 

This program aims to apply mātauranga Māori to measure mauri (the life force) within te taiao (the environment), with a specific focus on climate change. Mauri represents the life force or vital essence that exists in all natural elements and domains. It embodies the interconnectedness of all things, emphasizing that the health and vitality of one element directly influences the others. In an agricultural context, mauri can guide practices that nurture and sustain the land, ensuring its productivity and health for future generations which has the potential to create a point of difference in an economic market. It could include indicators such as Soil Health (Physical, Biological and Chemical), access to waahi tapu. Protection of areas from use, productivity measures, primary product, cultural products for events/marae/whaanau, absence of contamination, pollutants, toxins and waste and health of communities around the whenua (land), i.e. farmer health. The project explores how mātauranga Māori can complement Western indicators within Aotearoa’s farming systems, creating pathways for Māori-established products in international markets. 

The first phase, a comprehensive literature review of te ao Māori, mātauranga Māori, and mauri frameworks, is now complete. Building on these findings, the next phase will focus on developing a new mauri framework, which will be tested in collaboration with a group of tohunga (experts) and kaumātua. 

Mātauranga Māori Research Scan  

 This project involves a stock take, literature review, and synthesis report of existing Mātauranga Māori research related to greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and agriculture. The work will provide the NZAGRC with a deeper understanding of Mātauranga Māori in the context of these critical issues. This aligns with the Vision Mātauranga mission: "To unlock the innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources, and people to help create a better future for all New Zealanders."