Wednesday, 08 June 2016 12:55

More Maori needed in dairying

Written by  Peter Burke
The attitude schools hold towards agriculture needs to change to encourage teachers to promote it as a great career choice – especially by young Maori. The attitude schools hold towards agriculture needs to change to encourage teachers to promote it as a great career choice – especially by young Maori.

DairyNZ's Maori development manager Tony Finch says the industry needs to help cause a paradigm shift.

The attitude schools hold towards agriculture needs to change to encourage teachers to promote it as a great career choice – especially by young Maori.

Research funded by Primary Growth Partnership shows that 9% of the dairy workforce is Maori, and 25% of workers who leave the industry every year are Maori, versus 15% who are non-Maori.

Finch believes that overall Maori are quite well represented in the dairy industry, but says as Maori aspire to make more use of their land, more young Maori will be needed.

The reasons for Maori not taking up careers in dairying are no different from those of non-Maori, he says.

"I don't think it's any different from the local population's view of dairying. It is not a great perspective; it's generally thought to be an isolated job away from the urban areas and this generation doesn't like that much," Finch told Rural News.

"There is a perception of long hours and dirty work and for all those reasons dairying doesn't come across as the most attractive career option."

Finch says when he was at school agriculture was seen as the career choice for 'dummies' and says there are now many initiatives to change the perception school teachers have of agriculture. Teachers are still as influential in forming young people's career choices as they were in his schooldays.

"They need to understand that agriculture is not just hands-on physical work, but covers sciences, finance and a raft of great, exciting and rewarding careers," Finch adds.

"Dairying is quite a different beast these days with technology and the way sheds are designed and the land farmed. There's a need to improve the perception and make people aware of what is happening in the industry."

Finch says for young Maori there are lots of opportunities as Maori set about pooling resources and creating larger, more economic farming units.

"There is a lot of land sitting idle which can be developed and improved and dairy is an opportunity in waiting. As well, there is still a huge amount of productive capability sitting in the industry.

"While there are many great Maori farms, a large number still operate below the industry average productive capability. That often comes down to people capability, so there is a need to get people with the right skills to run a business."

Finch says part of the solution is promoting leadership within Maori youth. He says the Young Maori Farmer of the year competition, run in conjunction with the Ahuwhenua Awards, is one such successful mechanism.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of a major software project.

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter