World Farmers Organisation study tour welcomed to New Zealand

The third annual Global Research Alliance - World Farmers Organisation Farmers’ study tour has been formally welcomed to New Zealand today by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

“This study tour is run by the Government and Federated Farmers as a way of

better connecting the policy, science and farming sectors from different countries,” says Mr Guy.

“It is looking at the big challenge of how to produce more food to feed a growing world population at the same time as reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions intensity.”

11 participants from Brussels, Italy, France, Argentina, Switzerland, Uganda, Uruguay, Germany, and Japan are in New Zealand from 28 November to 4 December. The tour began with a Policy Forum in Wellington today which was officially opened by Mr Guy.

Participants are selected based on their standing within farming communities in their home country and ability to take up and share new ideas and technologies.

“The challenge of climate change is too great for any one country or any sector to address. We need to work together on a combined, global response involving the farming, government and science sectors.

“New Zealand was a founding member of the GRA and we are very proud of the progress it’s made. Last year the Government announced an extra $20 million in funding on top of our initial investment of $45 million.”

The forum will discuss climate change challenges for farmers, what skills, technologies and practices are available or need to be developed, and how agricultural greenhouse gas research and environmental management practices can build sustainable productivity.

The study tour will visit the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre in Palmerston North and several farms and businesses.