Key Initiative 4: Raising Productivity in the Pastoral Industries
[ Last Updated 6 July 2007 ]
Short Description
Information on the initiative to improve returns from primary sector production.
Taskforce theme: protecting the core
Purpose:
To improve returns from primary sector production through research and a focus on sustainable processes and systems.
What we will do:
The Foundation for Research Science and Technology is investing additional money in research projects which address pastoral sector productivity, including improving feed yield and quality, improving nutritive value of feed, optimising feed systems for farm productivity and sustainability, and developing tools which increase on-farm adoption of these improvements.
This project is closely linked with the Pastoral 21 initiative (a private/public sector collaboration) which aims to achieve a 2–4% a year increase in productivity, and ensure profitability and sustainable management practices.
How this will help:
Improving productivity in the primary sector, without degrading the environment, helps New Zealand's food and beverage exporters meet the needs of key markets, develop new markets and achieve higher prices for products. Maintaining the viability of the sector's existing base through continual productivity improvements is important for economic transformation. Improving productivity (more efficient use of inputs per unit of output) may well be a key means to achieve the twin goals of enhanced sustainability and cost competitiveness.
Agencies involved:
Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST)
Links with the Pastoral 21 initiative which involves: Meat & Wool NZ, Dairy InSight and Dairy Companies Association of NZ; research providers: AgResearch and Dexcel and dairy industry companies: Fonterra, Livestock Improvement Corporation and Westland Milk Products.
Budget:
Last year the Government pledged $15.6 million over four years to establish the co-funded public-private partnership. This was met with matching industry funding. A further $12 million was allocated as part of Budget 2007.
In addition the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology is to investigate whether some relevant existing public good research funding may be aligned with the sustainability outcomes that Pastoral 21 is trying to achieve.
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