The Manawatū region, with its rich history in food innovation and science, coupled with our rich natural resources, stands poised to shape Aotearoa New Zealand’s evolving food narrative. This strategy sets a shared vision, ensuring a bright future for food and agriculture, guiding stakeholders across the ecosystem from field to consumer. From field, through to production and consumption, food is a broad ecosystem. The key players in the food story of Manawatū can be guided by this strategy which will help give the region a well-connected critical mass for success.

This stage outlined the region’s leading position in agrifood innovation, and as a magnet for business development, identifying key ingredients for success and the unique strengths of the region. 

This has built on the foundation established by Stage One, identifying what the region should create and focus on, setting the path toward a more honed in strategy. The clear outcome from Stage One and Two was a strong desire for connection across industries and partners, which led to the redevelopment of the transactional food value chain into the concept of the food value web.

IMPLEMENTATION

The success of the Manawatū Regional Food Strategy relies on a focused Implementation Plan. This plan, derived from the Strategic Priorities, will need to align with key central and local government initiatives to ensure commitment and buy-in from commercial business. CEDA is well positioned to lead this implementation with a clear ability to apply a coordinated, collaborative, and focused approach uniting the entire food value web network.

SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION

The strategy identified the core unifying concept of Sustainable Nutrition. Sustainable Nutrition, in the context of this strategy, means fulfilling the needs of current generations while enhancing the ability for future generations to continue meeting their needs from the field to the consumer (local, domestic and export).