March 18, 2014
Ahuwhenua finalist laying the foundation
One of this year’s Auwhenua finalists is demonstrating how farming can point the way forward for its iwi post-settlement.
Te Rua o Te Moko runs a dairy operation on a 170 hectare south Taranaki farm that is landbanked for use in the Ngaruahine settlement.
Spokesperson Dion Maaka says it produces about 200,000 kilograms a year of milk solids from 500 cows.
Once restrictions on investment are lifted post-settlement, it expects to increase that.
"We are more than hopeful that once the negotiations are settled we can turn the property from 200,000 kg to within five years 230,000 kg of milk solids, hopefully under a managed farm arrangement as well, so that means more money for our people and more opportunities that we can provide not only financially in terms of dividend but those social outcomes that our owners desire," he says.
Te Rua o Te Moko is also running a farm training scheme of the land for uri of Ngaruaine and others, with all eight graduates from last year picking up jobs because of it.
The third and last Ahuwhenua finalist, Ngati Awa Farms’ Ngakauroa Farm at Awakeri, is open to the public today.
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