increase font size
Maatutaera Tipoki Akonga is a finalist in this year’s Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award.
The finalists in the inaugural Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award have just been announced.
The finalists are:
• Twenty-four-year-old Brandon Darny Paora Ngamoki Cross, 24, works as trainee orchard manager for the large kiwifruit orchard management and post-harvest company Seeka.
• Maatutaera Tipoki Akonga, who is 26, works as a senior leading hand at Llewellyn Horticulture based in the Hastings area.
• Finnisha Nicola Letitia Tuhiwai, 25 who is a packhouse manager for Maungatapere Berries, located west of Whangarei.
The award, which was inaugurated in 2012, is designed to recognise up and coming young Māori in the farming and horticulture sectors. This year, the competition is for horticulture.
Long-time judge, Aaron Hunt, of Te Tumu Paeroa, speaking on behalf of the judging panel, says the standard of entrants in the inaugural competition for horticulture was very high and also reflects the number of young Māori who are making successful careers in horticulture. He says Māori have always been involved in the horticulture sector and, in recent years, they have been involved in significant new enterprises.
Sadly, due to current COVID-19 restrictions, it will not be possible to complete the finalist judging process and determine a winner for 2020 for a little while yet.
The Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee is monitoring advice from health officials and will keep everyone informed when it is safe to undertake this next part of the process – including the most appropriate way to celebrate the finalists and present the trophy to the ultimate winner.
Recently two of New Zealand's top Maori sheep and beef farms held field days as part of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy competition. The two are: Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust, northeast of Whangarei, and the proprietors of Tawapata Onenui farm on Mahia Peninsula in southern Hawke's Bay. Reporter Peter Burke attended both field days.
Farms from Northland and northern Hawke's Bay are the finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for the top Māori sheep and beef farms.
The search is on to find the top Māori sheep and beef farm with entries now open for the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy competition.
A dairy farm owned by one of the largest Māori dairying farming operations in the country has won the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori dairy farm for 2024.
Kingi Smiler, the chair of Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani (WMI), said after winning the Ahuwhenua Trophy he was both elated and relieved and added it was a tough competition being up against Whakatohera Māori Board.
The Good Carbon Farm has partnered with Tolaga Bay Heritage Charitable Trust to deliver its first project in Tairāwhiti Gisborne.
Education union NZEI Te Riu Roa says that while educators will support the Government’s investment in learning support, they’re likely to be disappointed that it has been paid for by defunding expert teachers.
The Government says it is sharpening its focus and support for the food and fibre industry in Budget 2025.
A European Union regulation ensuring that the products its citizens consume do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation worldwide threatens $200m of New Zealand beef and leather exports.
A long-acting, controlled- release capsule designed to protect ewes from internal parasites during the lambing period is back on the market following a comprehensive reassessment.
Healthcare appears to be the big winner in this year's budget as agriculture and environment miss out.
