Sometimes it’s useful to glance backwards and reflect, as you forge ahead. This week we had our Annual Meeting and reviewed the year beginning in April, 2020. Just one week earlier, we had entered COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown and the year became a defining moment in our lifetime. Thankfully, the impact on our activities was not as dramatic as it potentially could have  been. It was a solid year for AgriTechNZ as we firmly stepped away from establishment and planning, and strengthened our capability to collaborate on unleashing New Zealand’s agritech expertise locally and globally.

Last year was active, as we developed our online skills and revelled in the opportunities to get together once we were able to. We had several thousand webinar registrations, squeezed in eight regional Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) updates, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AusAgritech, released the Aotearoa Agritech Unleashed Report and grew our membership to over 160 proactive organisations!

Speaking of strengthening our capability, at our Annual Meeting we announced the member representative election results for three positions on the Executive Council. We are delighted to confirm that Juliet Ansell from Zespri now joins Dan O’Brien from AWS to represent our Major Corporate members. Bridgit Hawkins from CropX joins Kenneth Irons from Precision Farming to represent SME members and Sophie Rebbeck from Lincoln Agritech was reelected and works with Peter Nation from the New Zealand National Fieldays Society representing Other Corporates. Even though Dion Cawood from LIC and Dan Bloomer from Landwise have stepped back from the Council, we’re already focused on ways to continue benefiting from their experience and wisdom. They have both been foundational in the creation of AgriTechNZ and the sector owes them a great deal.

We had 17 nominations for the three election seats. This is a great measure of the level of interest and engagement that is driving the growth of our sector. For those who were not successful this year, and for anyone wanting to play a more active role, please know we will continue creating opportunities for you to be involved.

Recently, we confirmed the makeup of our Agritech Leaders Data Reference Group with 11 representatives across our membership groups, regions and sector interests. We had over 50 expressions of interest and will keep everyone informed on the group’s strategies and work. If you would like to be kept updated, please drop us a note at info@agritechnz.org.nz.

We have also received expressions of interest for the Agritech Skills Reference Group and will finalise this within the next week. This is an important focus for us all, as access to the right skills and talent may well be the biggest headwind we will face in growing the sector. It’s an issue we share with other groups in New Zealand. We will be collaborating with NZTech, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and other groups to align our activity. Again, if this is of particular interest, please email us to be added to the stakeholder updates.

We’re also in the final stages of a significant website update which will see the addition of a rich source of resources. We’re working with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and Callaghan Innovation to share information across a range of topics. For example, one of the opportunities to  be showcased is Bayer’s global Grants4Ag program. The annual program awards researchers and scientists for sustainable solutions to agricultural challenges. If you would like to know more, please join the webinar on 26 July.

In other news, as a country partner for Farm 2050, we invite you to apply before 30 July for a New Zealand trial assessment. Farm 2050 is an initiative to validate new technologies in nutrient management whilst building valuable links and opportunities for counter seasonal trials in the Northern Hemisphere.

Earlier this month, AgriTechNZ attended the Primary Industries Summit hosted by Federated Farmers. It was an impressive gathering of leaders and influencers.  The Summit recognised the role innovation is playing in our primary industries. Congratulations to all the Awards winners, especially our members like Emma Boase from Horticulture New Zealand.

In the next few weeks we partner with the IoT Alliance and BioTechNZ to host several events. Join us on 27 July in Christchurch to discuss connectivity and connected on-farm devices. We will explore the current state and future potential for connected agritech solutions. On 4 August, we’ll be in Palmerston North discussing the pressing need for developments in cellular agriculture and gene editing to secure access to food for future generations.

There is plenty happening in the sector and it’s deservedly gaining attention to foster growth and impact.  Please stay in touch so we can help you make the most of the opportunities.

Ngā mihi

Brendan
Chief Executive
AgriTech New Zealand

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• The vote taken at the Precision Agriculture Association of New Zealand (PAANZ) AGM in November to disestablish itself and join Agritech New Zealand within the NZ Tech Alliance. Agritech New Zealand’s own Executive Council approved the move in December meaning that the country now has a very significant industry body representing both the demand and the supply side of the agritech coin. I look forward to welcoming PAANZ members to our team.
• The decision by the New Zealand Cabinet in December to support the recommendations made in the Agritech Industry Transformation Plan white paper. This provides a major opportunity for a wide range of government levers to be leveraged to address some of the key challenges and opportunities that the sector collectively faces. By working together, industry and government now have a powerful framework to build on. This will be a major focus for Agritech New Zealand through the year.
• The increasing depth of global capital being attracted into emerging New Zealand agritech companies. Interest in our sector is growing exponentially as offshore partners get a better understanding of our core capabilities and strengths. Further major offshore delegations in 2020 are designed to increase this level of global connectivity.
• The launch of the Australia New Zealand Agritech Council at the ANZLF meeting in Auckland in September. This is designed to position the trans-Tasman region as being a key agritech hub in the global market. Expect more news at next month’s evokeAG conference in Melbourne when over 100 kiwi delegates are expected to attend.

As I write this post, it’s hard not to think about the plight of Australian farmers and growers in the ongoing bush fire tragedy. It has brought the impact and reality of ‘climate change’ into sharp focus. I believe this is going to be a key theme for New Zealand’s own primary sector producers through 2020 and beyond.

There are a number of emerging global mega themes. Climate change, more extreme weather events, the environmental impact of agricultural production and the license to operate are some of the most significant. I believe that through 2020, these will be some of the key drivers in terms of agritech innovation and development in New Zealand.

Perhaps some of the most important opportunities for supporting the wider farmer and grower community by the country’s agritech sector are to be found in the provisions of the Zero Carbon Act, passed by Parliament in 2019. These set out the impact of an emissions pricing scheme designed to make New Zealand carbon neutral by 2050.  In supporting legislation, the Emissions Trading Reform Bill, the primary sector is still set to pay for emissions, but not until 2025. The sector will work with Government to come up with its own on-farm pricing scheme, aiming to reduce emissions in the meantime. A review in 2022 would develop the alternative pricing scheme, access the sector’s progress in reducing emissions and consider the barriers it faces. 

Significantly, “If the review finds there isn’t enough progress, the Government can put the agriculture sector into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) at processor level earlier than 2025”.

From my perspective, this provides two key opportunities for NZ’s wider agritech ecosystem to collaborate together. And here I am looking at four key stakeholder groups: industry, research, producers & government.

The first is to support our primary sector producers by developing the key technologies necessary to reduce emissions and so meet the major targets set out in the legislation. Our farmers and growers have seen enough of the regulation, the media commentary and the negative bile from naysayers. It’s time to come up with the investment and innovation necessary for our key producers to assist them address the issues that they and the rest of the community (urban dwellers included) face around cleaning up our waterways and any other negative environmental impact.

The second, and perhaps much more significant opportunity, is for New Zealand to take a global thought leadership position around climate change and the environmental impact of agricultural production to rapidly scale our major agritech businesses on the international stage. This has to be a core sector goal. It meets the demand and supply side metric. Farmers and growers worldwide need the technology. Our researchers and commercial companies can deliver it.

Over the next 12 months, Agritech New Zealand will be working with the Government’s Agritech Industry Transformation Plan taskforce to accelerate some of these opportunities. They meet both an urgent domestic and a global need.

In 2019, Agritech New Zealand helped develop the emerging multi-stakeholder platform. Over the next 12 months, we have the opportunity to assist execute and deliver.

Welcome to 2020!