Entries are now open for the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy, Excellence in Māori Horticulture Award.
The announcement was made by Barry O’Neil, President of Ahumāra Kai Aotearoa – Horticulture New Zealand, at the Horticulture New Zealand AGM held in Nelson this week.
The Ahuwhenua Trophy is held annually, and over a three-year cycle covers dairy, sheep and beef and horticulture, with the inaugural competition for horticulture held in 2020. The competition objective is to recognise excellence in Māori horticulture and is open to individual Māori running horticultural operations, as well as other entities such as Māori trusts and incorporations.
“What a great privilege it is for the horticulture industry to be associated with the Ahuwhenua Trophy, and showcase the tremendous mahi that Māori are doing to further our industry, as well as their own iwi and whānau. The inaugural 2020 horticulture competition highlighted an intrinsic commitment to the whenua, awa and people. I look forward to the coming year as once again, we work together to promote passion and good practice, as the kaitiaki of Aotearoa,” Barry O’Neil said.
Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee Chair, Nukuhia Hadfield says “in the past decade more Māori have become major investors in the sector and this has resulted in good financial returns and jobs for our people. However, there is still much more to do and I am sure with the positive publicity that the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition generates, this will encourage more Māori to become involved in the sector.”
Nukuhia says in all the major horticultural areas around the country, there is clear evidence that Māori are setting up new horticultural businesses or further developing established ones and are major contributors to a sector which in the past year earned $6.5 billion for the economy of Aotearoa New Zealand.
“I now urge all those Māori enterprises to take the next step and showcase their operations to Aotearoa by entering this competition. It is a unique opportunity to demonstrate the innovation and quality, along with genuine sustainability which sits behind our horticultural businesses,” she says.
Nukuhia Hadfield says for the finalists there is not only the prestige of winning the competition but the added benefits of high-quality feedback they receive on their enterprises.
Entry details, including the entry form are on the Ahuwhenua Trophy website www.ahuwhenuatrophy.maori.nz. Entries close Friday 9 December and the finalists will be announced in February 2023. After that field days will be held in April/May and the winner will be announced at an awards dinner in Tauranga in June.
For further information contact Peter Burke on 021 2242184 or peterj@true-to-ireland.com To access ‘free for editorial use’ photos of competition go to https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/wqwZC1WLGDTM4o4NCYSqky?domain=bit.ly and contact John Cowpland from Alphapix for download access on john@alphapix.co.nz.
Our mailing address is:
Ahuwhenua Trophy
Office 6.3
Level 6, Berl House
108 The Terrace
Wellington 6011
Our email address is:
info@ahuwhenuatrophy.maori.nz
