Taratahi Signs MOU with China
On September 4 Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Rural
Technology Development Centre (CRTD).
CRTDC sits under the Ministry of Science and Technology. They are committed to promoting technological progress for all
aspects of rural development in China by maintaining close ties with relevant rural science and technology management
authorities, research institutes and universities in China as well as other international organisations.
The MOU focuses on improving the cooperation between New Zealand and China in terms of agricultural policy research,
technology training and livestock breeding and encourages cooperation and communication of the governments, universities
and corporations of both countries, to improve global agricultural sustainable development.
The MOU will formalize the existing working relationship with Taratahi in aspects of agriculture in general, including
modernizing agriculture methods and farming systems, animal husbandry, seed/grass and pasture management practices,
livestock breeding, and agricultural machinery.
Taratahi CEO, Dr. Donovan Wearing says Taratahi is well positioned to assist China with their agricultural reforms.
“China currently has 900 million people working in the rural sector and the Chinese Government has recently announced
major reforms in the vocational training sector. They see both New Zealand’s education and agriculture system as world
class and are looking to New Zealand to help support them with their reforms. We have the programmes in place that will
help meet the Chinese governments’ needs. We’ve delivered these programmes to international students already, so we know
they are very successful and are very beneficial to farmers, trainers and people within the sector responsible for
making positive changes to the industry.”
“Our International Strategy focuses on a vision of lifting the perception and performance of the global agricultural
workforce. We are committed to making a difference to agricultural communities throughout the world and to position New
Zealand as the country of choice for vocational agricultural training. Taratahi can deliver quality programmes that add
value and maintain a high level of pastoral care, student experience and outcomes,” says Dr. Wearing.
84% of China milk is still produced from farming which is a feed procurement model rather than growing it ‘on- farm’.
The Chinese Government’s 'urbanisation’ programme aims to encourage 100 million farmers to move to the city. This means
farms will be getting bigger and more skills will be required in order to effectively manage these larger businesses.
China needs less and better skilled farmers in converting pasture into protein and a deeper understanding of farm
systems and the interrelationship of feeding, breeding and animal husbandry.
The journey of farming from subsistence to a small business farming model is vital to halt the reduction in milk supply
and supply a growing milk demand.
600 universities are to be transformed into applied institutions under ambitious vocational education reform plans. The
National Bureau of Statistics has estimated that fewer than a third of China’s 269 million migrant workers have received
training in the workplace. (Source ENZ, China Report, July 2014) On 4 September the MOU between Taratahi and CRTD was
signed by Dr. Donovan Wearing, the Director CRTDC Dr. Jia and was witnessed by Minister Woodhouse.
The MOU signing was hosted by Education New Zealand, with invited guests including the Ministry of Primary Industries,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Te Puni Kokiri attending. Education New Zealand works to promote New Zealand
as a study destination and to pave the way for exporting education institutions and businesses.
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