Whenua Ora, an innovative new national engagement programme for young Māori was launched in Christchurch earlier this week.

The programme aims to inspire young Māori to become agribusiness leaders by marketing and promoting land-based career options (sheep and beef, dairy, horticulture, forestry, apiculture, sciences and natural resource management).

“Maori are a younger and fast growing population therefore how they participate is critical to New Zealand’s economic growth,” says Whenua Kura Kaihautū Renata Hakiwai.

“The reality is that Maori achieving higher learning levels, gaining employment and participating effectively in the primary sector, could contribute as much as $8 billion annually to the economy. Further it has the potential to transform rural communities alongside the continued investments of the Maori asset owners.”

Whenua Ora is built around strong industry engagement and partnerships with leaders in the sector. Current partners include: Red Meat Profit Partnership, Plant and Food Research, Horticulture NZ, AGMARDT, Dairy NZ, Ministry for Primary Industries, Tertiary Education Commission, Ministry of Youth Development and Te Puni Kōkiri.

“We have been delighted by the positive response to Whenua Ora by those in the primary sector and their willingness to partner with us in the initiative. There has been a significant shift whereby industry now see the importance and potential benefit of partnering with Māori,” Hakiwai says.

Whenua Ora is a pan Māori, government and industry collaboration. It is an aggregator model that aggregates out learners to training institutions that best suit their current career pathways.

The initiative has been developed by the Whenua Kura Trust - an enterprise comprising iwi and industry for the collective benefit of growing Māori capability and capacity in the land based industries.
“It’s about promoting Maori success in land-based education, employment and enterprise, and delivering diverse education and training that works for our rangatahi,” says Hakiwai.
By 2030 Maori will make up over 30% of the national population, and by 2050 Maori and Pacifica will make up over 50% of the national population, with the non-Maori population declining at a rate of 10% on average over the next 20-30 years due to its aging demographics.

Around 90 people attended the Whenua Ora launch which was held at the Haeata Community Campus in Christchurch.

Ends

© Scoop Media