agriculture

Farm Management Systems Workshop

Time Frame of Project

First workshop held on 12-13th April 2011. (Potentially another workshop to be held in the future).

 

Consultants Involved

Karl Barclay

Nicola Kelland

Bruce McCorkindale

 

Description of Project

  • The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) runs a Sustainable Land Management Hill Country Erosion Programme, which aims to increase protection of highly erodible land through targeted funding for catchment initiatives, and building the capacity of regional council land management officers.
  • To build the capacity of regional council land management officers, MAF funds a series of training courses each year.  These courses are endorsed by the New Zealand Association of Resource Management (NZARM).
  • MAF and NZARM identified the need for training courses in farm management systems and the economic drivers that farmers are faced with.  Regional council land management staff work closely with farmers and must understand the drivers behind farmers' decisions and responses.
  • AgFirst NZ has been contracted to develop and deliver these workshops.

 

Progress of Project so far

The first 2-day workshop for the South Island council land management staff was held in Dunedin on 12-13th April 2011 and was run by AgFirst Consultants Otago Ltd.  There is potential for another workshop to be held in the South Island in the future.

 

Outcomes from Project

A range of participants attended the first workshop from around the South Island, including land management staff from Southland, Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough.  The course ran for two days and included a mix of presentations from three consultants from AgFirst Otago, in addition to a farm visit to reinforce the principles covered.

.