PRESS RELEASE (13 June 2011)
Te Arawa FoMA to promote biological farming systems
Te Arawa Federation of Maori Authorities (FoMA) is investigating biological farming systems for its member
organisations.
Te Arawa FoMA is the largest cluster of Trusts & Incorporations in the Rotorua District. Te Arawa FoMA’s goal is to help its members advance their aspirations for
economic development, in a manner that is mindful of and does not compromise with the receiving environment, which Maori
culture is historically known for.
Many Maori owned trust lands are used for farming and are on either Lakes or rivers catchments. In recent years,
nutrient leaching from farming has been an issue in these areas.
The Rotorua Lakes and Land Trust (RLLT) – a joint venture between Te Arawa FoMA and Rotorua/Taupo Province of Federated
Farmers – has set up the Vallance Project which explores how biological farming systems can play a role in reducing
nitrate leaching from farms, while keeping farming profitable. The project has been operational since August 2010 in
Reporoa. A similar research project was set up in two farms in Edgecumbe recently.
“Maori community believes in sustainable management of our land, water and forest resources; it is based on the
tradition and culture that has been handed to us by our ancestors,” said Mr Malcolm Short, Chairman of the RLLT.
“Rotorua’s future depends on our land and water. The wealth and wellbeing of the district and its people will continue
to depend heavily on making the most of farming, forestry and tourism to generate jobs and income”.
Maori culture believes in Kaitiakitanga (traditional way of environmental management) and Mauri (life force) of nature. Hence, human societies can not be separate from nature.
“That is one of the reasons why we have set up the Vallance research project. Biological farming systems which do not
depend on artificial saturation of the farm by chemical fertilisers are expected to provide a more nature-friendly
manner of agriculture,” Mr Short added.
Te Arawa FoMA and RLLT have formed an affiliation to take advantage of the benefits in joining together to share
resources, ideas and development initiatives. Both entities retain their autonomy but where possible share and/or pool
their resources to reach common outcomes.
Te Arawa FoMA is organising “Options and Tools” conference on Friday, 17 June 2011 at the Rotorua Club Inc. located in
the Main Grandstand at the Rotorua Race Track.
A number of interesting topics have been chosen for deliberations by the executive committee. Dr Guna Magesan, a senior
scientist, has been invited to present a paper on “Biological farming systems and nutrient leaching” for the benefit of farming community.
“In addition to the Vallance project, we are also planning to have a second trial soon on a Maori owned farm,” said Tom
Walters, a Te Arawa FoMA representative and Trustee of RLLT.
“We will study pasture productivity, pasture quality, and key indicators of soil physical, chemical and biological
properties”.
Various biological farming fertiliser companies will be invited to be part of this research. The focus will be to test
the biological farming system rather than the product.
“It is our desire to research methods in which we may farm in a more sustainable manner, and introduce this methodology
to a collective of Maori farms across the central plateau after which we may share success stories to fellow members of
the Federation of Maori Authorities and indeed throughout the country,” Mr Walters added.
“This is a concentrated conscientious effort on our part, to reduce the dependence and cost of advisors and consultants,
and to do a better job at controlling what is controllable. More natural processes and clean lakes and waterways are a
priority”.
Ultimately, a balance has to be struck between the productivity and financial sustainability of the farm, and
environmental costs. Many of the Western farming systems place a single minded focus on profits to the detriment of the
environment, thus forgetting the fact that human society is a part of nature.”
In October 2011, the RLLT is organising a National Conference on Biological Farming Systems in Rotorua with the theme "Towards a Sustainable Farming – by farmers, for farmers ". A number of key scientists from various crown research institutes and universities, and farmers from different parts
of New Zealand are participating and sharing their experiences at the conference. For more information, please email:
BiologicalFarming.Systems@gmail.com
"We have been promoting our research every possible way," said Gifford McFadden, a Trustee of RLLT and the Project
Leader for Vallance Project.
“We believe our national conference will be a turning point for biological farming in New Zealand,” Mr McFadden added.
ENDS