Maori issues in organic farming in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Abstract

This report is constructed in partial fulfilment of the MSc in Resource Management at Lincoln University. In November 1999, the Soil & Health Association started promoting the idea of all agriculture in Aotearoa/New Zealand transforming itself from conventional farming to organic farming. This idea of Aotearoa/New Zealand becoming an Organic Nation has inspired this project to carry out research into finding out what issues Maori have in converting from conventional to organic agriculture. As such, the main objective of this research project has been in undertaking a qualitative research process with twelve Maori participants involved in organic fatming to find out what Maori issues are in organic farming. The first step was for a literature review to be undertaken to find general issues people have in organic farming. The second step was to conduct qualitative interviews with twelve Maori involved in organic farming using Kaupapa Maori research methods. This research found that there are a lot of issues in common between those identified in the literature review and those mentioned by the Maori research participants. These issues in common were in the areas of education, philosophic vs. pragmatic issues, conversion issues, certification standards, lack of government and organisational support, bias against doing things differently, national minimum standards, research and development issues. Through interdisciplinary analysis of the literature review and interviews with the Maori participants it was possible to identify Maori issues in organic farming that are specific to Maori. The main one was on the need for a national Maori organic farming network. Other specific issues were in the areas of education that focuses on Maori needs in organic farming. Collective ownership issues were found in the form of a lack of finance from banks to start organic farming on collectively owned land, a trap of just leasing land out, small blocks of collectively owned land needing coordination for certification and market supply purposes, problems in gaining consensus on issues in managing collectively owned land, individuals taking land on to farm organically, failing, and leaving debts behind and fear of failing and losing mana and a need for a profit share system to avoid risk of losing all the profit to the collective. Certification issues were found in the areas of certification being too complicated, shorter transition phases being needed, and the need to establish Maori certification and label systems. In terms of research and development the issues raised were in the areas of needing to value Maori science as being equal to that of western science, creating organic farming districts or regions through the Resource Management Act 1991, the need to recover traditional Maori knowledge of organic farming and the need to rebuild rural economies through organics for sustainable jobs for Maori, for example, through Green Dollar schemes. The central recommendation to deal with all the identified issues is that there needs to be formed a national Maori organic farming network or organisation where Maori involved in organic farming can get together and exercise rangatiratanga (self determination) to help solve their own problems. Trying to solve all Maori issues in organic farming by a national Maori network or organisation cannot be done alone and would need to involve working in partnership with private organisations, like Soil & Health, and local and central government agencies to address Maori issues in organic farming. Partnerships based on the Treaty of Waitangi would be the best option.