Source: New Zealand Government
Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming.
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis in Hamilton on Friday night.
Ben Purua (Tainui) won the Young Māori Farmer Award 2024.
“Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani are a strong example of Māori dairy farming excellence. It’s about building economic benefits while ensuring kaitiakitanga – nurturing their whenua for future generations and inspiring others.
The Ahuwhenua Trophy, the most prestigious award in Māori farming, acknowledges and celebrates business excellence in New Zealand’s important pastoral and horticultural sectors.
“I’ve seen first-hand the hard work, brilliance and innovation demonstrated by Māori farmers. It’s a critical part of the Māori economy and is a powerful driver in ensuring we get the New Zealand economy Back on Track.
“Māori businesses in the primary sector are going from strength to strength. Statistics NZ data from September 2022 to September 2023, showed the total value of sales in this part of the sector increased by $99 million, up by a third.”
Mr Potaka praised the high quality of all the finalists and looked forward to seeing more of their future success.
“The dairy sector is New Zealand’s biggest export earner – 10 per cent of the country’s dairy farms are Māori-owned.
“The Government has set an ambitious target to double the overall value of New Zealand’s exports in 10 years.”
Kua whakawhiwhia a Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani ki te tohu toa mō te ahuwhenua huamiraka Māori
Ko Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani te tino toa i ngā Ahuwhenua Trophy i tēnei tau e whakanui ana i te mutunga mai o te pai i ngā mahi ahuwhenua huamiraka Māori.
I pānuitia e te Minita Whanaketanga Māori a Tama Potaka ngā ingoa o ngā whakaihuwaka, otirā, ka mihia hoki te hunga i whakawhiwhia ki te tūranga tuarua, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, i tētahi hui whakanui i ngā tohu, i reira anō hoki te Pirimia Christopher Luxon me te Minita Pūtea Nicola Willis i Kirikiriroa i te Pōmere.
I riro i a Ben Purua (Tainui) te tohu toa Kaiahuwhenua Rangatahi Māori 2024.
“Ka mutu te pai o Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani hei tino tauira o te kairangi Māori i te ahuwhenua huamiraka. Mō te hanga i ngā hua ōhanga me te mātua whakarite ngātahi i te kaitiakitanga tēnei – e atawhai ana i tō rātou whenua mō ngā whakatipuranga e heke mai nei, hei hiringa anō hoki mō ētahi atu.
Kei te whakamihi me te whakanui te Ahuwhenua Trophy, te tino tohu whai mana o te ao ahuwhenua Māori, i te kairangi o te pakihi i ngā rāngai whakahirahira o te whakataka whenua me te ahumāra.
“Kua kitea ā-kanohi atu i te mahi, te ihumanea me te auaha e whakaaturia ana e ngā kaiahuwhenua Māori. He tino wāhi tēnei o te ōhanga Māori, he tino taonga kōkiri hoki hei mātua whakarite e whakahoki ana mātou i te ōhanga o Aotearoa ki tōna Aronga Tika.
“E pakari haere ana, e pakari haere ana ngā pakihi Māori i te rāngai mātāmua. I kitea i ngā raraunga o Tatauranga Aotearoa mai i te marama o Mahuru 2022 ki te marama o Mahuru 2023, i piki te uara o te tapeke o ngā hokohoko i tēnei wāhanga o te rāngai mā te $99 miriona, he 32 ōrau te whakapikinga.”
I whakanui a Minita Potaka i te tino kounga o ngā mahi a te katoa i tae ki te whiringa toa, e hiahia hoki ana ia ki te kite anō i ā rātou mahi angitu hei ngā tau e tū mai nei.
“Kāore i nui ake i te rāngai huamiraka i Aotearoa mō te whiwhi pūtea i ngā mahi hoko ki tāwāhi – nā te Māori te 10 ōrau o ngā pāmu huamiraka o tēnei whenua.
“Kua whakaritea e te Kāwanatanga tētahi whāinga hao nui ki te tāpara i te uara katoa o ngā hoko ki tāwāhi o Aotearoa i roto i te tekau tau e tū mai nei.”
