Ten-year strategy - Growing ahuwhenua performance

A long-term strategy has been released by Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation and Te Āti Hau Trust.

Strategic Intentions 2023-2033 sets out where and how ĀtihauWhanganui Incorporation and Te Āti Hau Trust will focus their efforts over the next 10 years to achieve collective aspirations as the Āti Hau Group.

The combined strategy has been developed over two years by the Board, executive team and the Mātua group – an informal group of former key personnel, including former chair, general manager and operations manager Dana Blackburn, former Committee of Management member and farm supervisor Jim Edmonds, and former long-serving secretary Lex Moody.

The Āti Hau Group strategy identifies three overarching strategic goals for the next decade. Seven priorities have been set across these goals to achieve health and wellbeing for the taiao, lift farm and apiary performance, increase cash return from the whenua, strengthen uri connections, boost the number of uri benefiting from Āti Hau activities, grow high-value partnerships and collaboration, and support cultural revitalisation.

For each of the seven priorities, a set of strategic objectives has been developed to drive direction and focus on programmes of work.

One of the priorities (Priority 2) is to grow ahuwhenua performance. Under the strategic goal Toitū Te Whenua, the priority seeks to lift ahuwhenua performance by better understanding and relating to the whenua and improving management practices.

Board chair Dr Tiwha Puketapu says the term “ahuwhenua” includes all activities that are happening on the whenua.

“This priority focuses on looking after the land so the land can look after us. It will guide us to make thoughtful decisions and undertake farming activities that reflect and deliver on the Incorporation’s purpose and principles.”

Priority 2 aims to make sure that agribusiness and apiary are performing well.

“Before we look at the opportunities that other business activities offer, we need to demonstrate that we can look after what we have and ensure the whenua is in good health and productive. Our first and foremost activity should be to ensure our care, protection, development and use of our whenua reflects the legacy principles we share from one generation to the next.”

Ahuwhenua performance has been made a priority because, when comparing Ātihau farm performance to similar farm businesses, the Incorporation’s revenue per hectare needs to improve. Tiwha says there is potential and expectation for the farms to increase productivity by strengthening farm practices, improving reproduction and increasing animal growth rates.

Each farm was resumed at a different stage of development, with differences in the age and quality of farm resources such as fences, reticulated water and soil fertility.

“The intention is to improve farm resources in order to further lift our care of whenua and animals, and enrich the working experiences of our kaimahi.

“Making good decisions today, taking appropriate actions in response to the circumstances we face – our current economic conditions, climate change – means having to be more attentive to regional, national, and also global events and circumstances. Our sheep, beef, milk and honey are sold to companies that market and distribute overseas. When they experience highs, so do we. When they experience lows, then we are affected. This requires us to be diligent, prudent and attentive to what we do and what others do.

“For example, climate change will bring higher temperatures, more intense rainfall and new pests, as well as opportunities like higher grass growth. By improving farm performance and resources, we can prepare well for some of the challenges and wisely make the most of some opportunities.

“Ahuwhenua performance generates our income. It affects the capacity and capability of the Incorporation to look after what we are doing in the present and prepare for well-considered opportunities in the future. At the end of each financial year, we seek to make sufficient income and profit to ensure a shareholder dividend, to provide social, cultural and educational benefits, to reduce our bank debt, to look after our farms, and to invest in profitable ventures.”

Chief executive Andrew Beijeman says work to grow ahuwhenua performance has already begun. Aerial mapping using hyperspectral imaging has been completed to understand the effective area and productive capacity of farmland. Economic modelling has been done to determine the best use of farmland, including understanding which areas should continue to be farmed and which would be better used for forestry, honey or mixed cropping.

“Kaimahi have also been working hard to overcome obstacles and lift performance, with some real performance gains achieved through better management. This year we saw some of the impact of this on our scanning results, with every farm achieving a record number of twins and several achieving a record in both mixed age and two-tooth stock.”

In addition, plans to improve farm infrastructure and performance are on the table and a discussion group has been set up with farm managers to share knowledge and information.

“The next steps are a series of independent reviews to make sure no stone is left unturned and that we don’t have any blind spots around where performance could be lifted. By the end of October we will be halfway through the farming review and will have completed the apiary review.

“Any recommendations will be implemented over the coming seasons.”

Andrew says the advice so far has included independent verification that “we’re doing things right”. “We’ve seen a bit of both so far –areas where we can improve and areas where we’re getting things right.”

A seven-year farm development programme is a key area of work.

“The right farm infrastructure enables stronger farm performance. Our seven-year programme is to complete development of the farms so that there are no farm infrastructure issues holding them back.

“The work will also help adapt to the impacts of climate change by providing better reticulated water supply so that stock have access to water all year round. We are ramping up this development and incorporating a longer-term infrastructure programme.

“It continues the work we’ve done to optimise land use and overcome obstacles so far – this is just additional work in that space and is all part of lifting farm performance. The economics of farming have changed and we need to change with the times.”

Improving reproduction and animal growth rates is a key component of the work, furthering the progress made by the teams this year.

Further work will be done to consider how to increase carbon farming returns, and more arable cropping is on the cards in Ohakune, with a barley trial on the work programme and the potential for wheat crops under consideration.