Te Arawa FoMA to promote biological farming systems

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

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