Fibre broadband expansion to 95% of NZ gets green light – a win for rural connectivity
The Infrastructure Commission has endorsed a plan by Chorus to expand fibre broadband to 95% of New Zealand much to the delight of rural women.
The director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) says the UN has a role to play in leveraging the power of digital technologies.
In an address to a High-Level United Nations Dialogue on the Progress and Future of Digital Cooperation, QU Dongyu noted that agriculture is one of the world’s biggest challenges, because digitally rural areas are lagging behind, adding that it is time to bridge the digital gap between urban and rural areas.
“Digitalisation is reshaping our world at its very core, and is having a deep impact on our societies and economies, and our mindsets,” he said, stressing that digitization may have a significant positive impact on agrifood systems transformation to make them more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.
However, he pointed out that new emerging issues related to safe and ethical use of digital agriculture should be taken into consideration.
This is crucial “to ensure a holistic perspective and an open, free and secure digital future for all as outlined by the Global Digital Compact and other key UN led initiatives towards which we are working together”.
He reiterated FAO’s commitment to continue working closely with all stakeholders in an efficient, effective, and coherent manner to establish a global digital ecosystem to address global challenge.
The session was part of the UN’s World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which brought together UN leaders to present their respective mandates within the WSIS process and their perspectives on digital for development.
The Government has announced changes to stock exclusion regulations which it claims will cut unnecessary costs and inflexible rules while maintaining environmental protections.
Technology and the use of artificial intelligence are increasingly part of life, both on the farm and off it.
Ashleigh Gordon and Leilani Lobb have been named as the two finalists for Dairy Women's Network's (DWN) 2026 Regional Leader of the Year Award.
Animal and Plant Health New Zealand (APHANZ) says the approval of a new fungicide seed treatment is a positive, however growers will be hoping the final approval is completed ahead of the spring season.
North Canterbury farmer Adam Williamson has been appointed DairyNZ's associate director for 2026-27.
Fonterra farmers are set for a multi-billion-dollar payout this week.

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