Māori farmer award entries open

The award was inaugurated in 2012 and is designed to recognise the achievements of young Māori in the farming and horticulture sectors. In 2024 the competition is for dairy - in a three-year cycle, young Māori involved in horticulture and sheep and beef are also recognised.

Nukuhia Hadfield, chair of the management committee which oversees both the AYMF and the senior Ahuwhenua Trophy competition, says Māori agribusiness continues to grow, and for this to be sustainable, the industry needs young innovative leaders. One of the pathways for developing this cohort of leaders is with the AYMF award. She says the growth of the sector also means that there are new career opportunities for rangatahi.

"In the relatively short time the AYMF award has been running, it has brought to the fore come outstanding young Māori men and women who have already excelled in their careers. Since becoming finalists or winners they have moved up to new and more responsible roles and many have become inspirational role models," she says.

Hadfield urges young Māori wāhine and tane to enter this competition and also asks that their employers and mentors encourage them to do so as well. She said that past finalists and winners have said that being involved in Ahuwhenua opens new opportunities and networks and gives them the self-confidence to achieve their full potential.

"The Ahuwhenua whānau that runs the competition is both welcoming and supportive - entrants will have a great time," she says.

The 2021 winner of the competition, Quinn Morgan later went on to win the up and coming farm leadership award.

Entries forms and further details are on the Ahuwhenua Trophy website. Entries close on Friday 9 February and the finalists will be announced in late March 2024 with the winner being announced at the Ahuwhenua Trophy awards dinner on Friday 17 May 2024.