Hikurangi Enterprises, is a charitable company set up to pursue economic development opportunities for whanau and hapu around Tairāwhiti. We are thrilled to be presenting Inā te Ora with so many organisations and individuals with the same end goal – enhancing the future for Tairāwhiti! Join us to explore the future!
Dr Peter Buchanan, Landcare Research – Fungi Foods from Aotearoa
Dr Peter Buchanan is a scientist with a long-standing passion for the study of New Zealand fungi and a desire for others to value these amazing and often overlooked organisms. Following his studies in botany and mycology (study of fungi) at the University of Auckland, Peter was employed by DSIR to study a fungal disease of pasture grass. Later, he undertook postgraduate training in the Netherlands to research wood decay fungi. Peter now works for Landcare Research as a Science Team Leader with a team of science colleagues who collectively study the native and introduced plants, insects, other invertebrates, fungi and bacteria of New Zealand. Peter will share some of his research on fungi species popular with Māori prior to colonisation and opportunities for high value nutritional food from indigenous fungi.
Rawinia Parata, The Tipu Project
The Tipu Project addresses labour shortage issues on the East Coast. With an exponentially expanding industry it is imperative that workers have confidence in the sustainability of the industry to provide decent career pathways and for producers to have confidence in the ability of the region to provide skilled, willing workers. Fruit doesn’t pick itself!
Daryl Hudson: Cedenco’s story – provenance and collaboration for land usage
Cedenco – one of Tairāwhiti’s largest food producers, has a vision of a positive food future for the region based in creating local jobs, reducing impact on the environment and working with locals to collaborate on land development and farming projects. Join us to hear about past successful collaborations and future potential to get involved!
Steve Breen, Activate Tairāwhiti
Activate Tairāwhiti is a dedicated resource for all established businesses and start ups, both based in our region and looking to move here.
Come and hear how Activate Tairāwhiti’s Regional Economic Development Action Plan will work, examine how new projects can be added to the plan, what it means to have a project in the plan – and what support AT can provide for initiatives not in the plan.
Te Rau Kupenga – Accelerating Māori agribusiness in Tairāwhiti
Te Rau was born and raised in Hiruharama just south of Ruatoria and is of Ngati Porou descent. Mr Kupenga brings a unique skill-set and a practical mind-set – he spearheaded the establishment of Connect Global’s call centre in Ruatoria, a trial that has proven so successful the company is looking to expand the model around the country. He is on the Board of Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou, Eastland Community Trust and is motivated by a particular vision.
“The focus of our work with Connect Global was to create future jobs for our community. Not just any jobs, but jobs focused on growing capability within our community.” he says.
Join us for Inā te Ora-22-24th November