Fit for a Better World – 2021 update
An update of our work with the food and fibre sector on the Fit for a Better World roadmap was released at Fieldays in June 2021.
We are still in the early stages of a 10-year work programme that will require sustained and co-ordinated action to achieve our objectives.
The 2021 progress update:
- provides an overview of the original Fit for a Better World roadmap, released in July 2020;
- sets out the key challenges and opportunities facing the food and fibre sector;
- outlines how the Government, food and fibre sector, and Māori are partnering to take forward the roadmap;
- provides a snapshot of highlights to date; and
- shows how the sector is contributing to the roadmap vision over the next year.
Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential
The roadmap identifies actions within the food and fibres sectors to achieve ambitious targets for a more productive, sustainable and inclusive economy. Many of these priority areas require a greater focus on science and innovation.
It’s important to note that some new and existing initiatives will not be listed in the roadmap, but will still make an important contribution to delivering the roadmap.
The FFPG has met with the chief executives of New Zealand Crown Research Institutes and the Cawthron Institute about the role science, innovation and mātauranga (knowledge) plays in supporting transformation in our food and fibres sector.
Following this engagement, FFPG is identifying common research, science, and innovation priorities across government, industry, science providers, and Māori. This will form the basis of a ‘science accelerator’ plan to help deliver the roadmap, while connecting resources and minimising duplication of effort.
About the FFPG
The Food and Fibres Partnership Group (FFPG) is a strategic group established in July 2020 to help accelerate current and new transformation efforts across the food and fibres sector.
The FFPG implements the vision and strategic direction for the food and fibres sector, and shares responsibility for implementing key elements from the Government’s Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential Roadmap.
The group consists of chairs and chief executives from across the sector, Māori agribusiness leaders, and government agency chief executives to ensure it reflects the views and interests of the wider sector and recognises the importance of moving forward together.
The FFPG’s role
The FFPG is coordinating efforts across our food and fibres sector to help accelerate current and new transformation initiatives to meet a range of goals. These include improving sustainability and wellbeing, boosting productivity and profitability, and lifting value. Underpinning this work is a strong recognition that protecting the health of Te Taiao (our natural world) is critically important.
The FFPG is:
- partnering alongside the sector, Māori agribusiness, and government to align objectives, and enable more efficient resource use and better communication and engagement
- ensuring strategic issues in the food and fibres sector are identified and addressed at an early stage.
- complementing sector strategies and other transformation programmes underway.
- working with sector groups such as the Māori Primary Sector Leaders Forum and the Food and Fibre Leaders Forum to ensure a broad range of perspectives and knowledge are channelled into the FFPG’s work.
As a partnership, the FFPG will reflect the principles of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) and this will play a significant role in helping to realise the potential of the Māori economy and its contribution to the sector.
FFPG priority areas
The FFPG is developing its workplan based on the following priority areas, aligned to sector strategies:
- Innovation, science, and research and development
- Labour, skills, and education
- Investment and capital availability
- Environment, climate, and water
- Trade, market access, consumer insights, and customer engagement
- Protection (including biosecurity).
The current focus is on the innovation, science, and research and development priority.