Positive Coordination

Growing towards 2030

Vision and leadership combined with achievable growth strategies and people to do the hard work
provides a way forward to 2030. Many smaller bold projects and SMEs together will have a huge
impact on whanau as we strive towards a positive sustainable future and economic independence.

Positive Coordination Ltd

Combined we have 30 years of experience and knowledge that can directly assist with growth and
development of Maori and of mainstream people to enable us all to live prosperously within
Aotearoa/NZ.

Kim and Jeanette Murphy-Stewart trading as Positive Coordination offer skills, knowledge, ideas,
contacts and relationships that have a significant focus on;

 Economic development and sustainability with horticulture and

 Social development

These have a significant impact on;

 Capacity building – Building up of our people, our youth, our whanau, our workforce
 Sustainability - growing our own crops of food provides sustainability of whanau, hapu, iwi
 Economic development – growing and processing crops to market is a primary business
development

The key strategic assets in Northland are;

 Our people and

 Our land

Both have been underdeveloped, unrealised and they are both at risk.

Horticulture

Horticulture offers significant growth opportunities for both sustainability and primary business
development. Maori land corporations are being set up in the hopes to sustain Maori livelihoods in
the wake of global crisis we are experiencing.

Government funding, partnerships, private and commercial investment would provide the much
needed resources for economic projects to be further developed within Northland.

Horticulture is one of the priorities for the Ngapuhi Runanga and our own research indicates that
whanau are starting to work the land they live on.

Over the past 20 years, horticulture exports have grown from $NZ 200 million to $NZ 2.2 billion. The
area of horticultural crops has also increased 40% to 121,000 ha in just over 10 years. Including
domestic sales, the horticulture industry is worth $NZ 4.7 billion - making it New Zealand’s sixth
largest export industry. (Horticulture NZ website) The information from the Horticulture NZ
confirms that Horticulture is a growth industry.

Once were Horticulturalists

Positive Coordination Ltd, PO Box 3303, Onerahi, Whangarei

Email: jeanettems@ubernet.co.nz, Ph: 09) 436 2155, Mob: 027 4809 241 Page 1
 Positive Coordination

Traditionally Maori were horticulturalists, we grew crops of kumara, maori potatoes, taro, kamo
kamo and many other vegetables which formed our stable diet. Horticulture offers fresh
opportunities and is consistent with the Whanau ora Taskforce report under Whanau Enterprise.
Land is a main whanau resource and there are areas in Northland that are hugely under developed.
The other resources under developed are the waterways as transport and our human capital.

Main stream growers of fresh produce earn a good living selling their product to the market place.
Wholesalers make a significant financial gain out of procuring the fruit and on selling to the retailers.
Retailers make a huge profit from selling to us Mr and Mrs Consumer.

What would happen if whanau started a business in horticulture? Other whanau (neighbours and
friends) would gain an interest in growing their own food for sustainability. It could become natural
progression for the excess fresh produce grown to be sold at the market place. Once whanau gain a
taste of wealth, they would soon start growing crops commercially. The other opportunity for Maori
is we could grow different crops commercially like Maori potatoes, kamo kamo and water cress.
That is another market opportunity that should be explored for the domestic and export markets.

Market research confirms that Auckland city dwelling is pushing the south Auckland growers out. A
General Manager from a prominent fresh produce company is looking to expand their business in
Northland. Apart from the main crops his company is also investigating an under developed crop in
NZ, table grapes. They are looking to partner with Iwi in Northland to grow their crops for the
market.

Some areas in Northland would be difficult to access via roads so the waterways offer an
opportunity for transport of fresh produce on small boats to market. Northland is covered with
waterways and offers a viable option for shipping fresh produce and creates another business
opportunity for whanau to operate. Marketing strategies would need to include whanau working
together due to the size of land blocks. To begin we would work with main stream marketers with
the mind to learning the business and creating a Maori marketing company.

How do we motivate whanau, hapu and iwi to do the hard work? We build a vision that
incorporates short term and long term goals for whanau to work towards sustaining the whanau,
wealth creation and economic independence.

Long term goals could include;

 Tai Tokerau Iwi is recognised as the main supplier of fresh produce to Northland market and
retailers by 2018.
 Tai Tokerau Iwi make a significant impact on the Auckland market by 2020
 Tai Tokerau Iwi export 20% of their crop by 2025
 Whanau living in Tai Tokerau are sustained by 2030

Short term goals would be completed by whanau to help with working through their immediate
needs.

Research
If Northland is to be successful in horticulture there is a need for market and feasibility research to
be completed. Market research would identify the following;

 market for the crops

 profitability

Positive Coordination Ltd, PO Box 3303, Onerahi, Whangarei

Email: jeanettems@ubernet.co.nz, Ph: 09) 436 2155, Mob: 027 4809 241 Page 2
 Positive Coordination

 size of the market and market share

 export potential

Feasibility research will identify;

 crops that can be grown, land availability and land use

 Maori land ownership
 Workforce, training and education
 Transport - land, sea or waterways
 Crops for now and for the future
 Alternative fuel production
 Climate change
 Water issues, irrigation
 Investment opportunities
 Economic and business analysis

The crops that are grown for sustainability may not necessarily be the crops to sell in the market
place. There is a definite distinction between the two.

There are significant benefits and opportunities that arise from this venture;

 Food sustainability
 Food miles – carbon credits
 Climate change
 Oil costs
 Transport
 Business opportunities – horticultural crops, transport by land or waterways, marketing
ventures
 Maori traditional crop knowledge
 Maori land use
 New technologies – Bio fuel, water transport
 Solar heating and wind use
 Attract Investment from outside of Northland and NZ

Positive coordination is able to complete a whanau centred scoping plan. This will be a resource
document aimed at whanau to be used to inspire wealth creation through the potential of
horticulture.

The project seeks seeding funding to further develop this plan. Other funders will be sourced to add
to the scoping and the possible implementation of this plan.

Positive Coordination Ltd, PO Box 3303, Onerahi, Whangarei

Email: jeanettems@ubernet.co.nz, Ph: 09) 436 2155, Mob: 027 4809 241 Page 3