History

Our history

In 2007, the late Hon Parekura Horomia met with people involved in farming, training and education about the potential to develop and encourage a career path for young Māori and to have that acknowledged in some way. The subsequent conversations around this ‘take’ were centred in the area of growing apprenticeship uptake by Māori and aligning this to academy initiatives.

In 2010/11 the then Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples, whilst engaging with Māori communities, saw the opportunity for young Māori to enter farming as a career pathway, and not just a job. He also saw the benefit in an award approach, and for young people to participate in a competition.

This lead to a meeting between Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Tumu Paeroa (the Māori Trustee) and Primary ITO (then AgITO), and what started as a moemoea-a-poto was taken up and led to the mapping out of a competition. Throughout 2011 the design, sponsorship of and launch was completed, and the competition known then as the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Cadet/Trainee (now, the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer/Grower) came into being with the inaugural competition held in 2012 for dairy.

Since then, in an alternating cycle, rangatahi Māori involved in both dairy and sheep and beef farming have been recognised, and in 2020, a new Horticulture competition for growers was added to the award cycle.

The driving kaupapa is:

E tipu e rea mō ngā rā o tō ao
Ko tō ringa ki ngā rākau a te Pākehā
Hei ora mō te tinana
Ko tō ngākau ki ngā tāonga a ō tïpuna Māori
Hei tikitiki mō tō māhuna Ko tō wairua ki tō atua, Nānā nei ngā mea katoa

– Tā Apirana Ngata

Our mission

To foster and grow leadership amongst young Māori farmers and growers and inspire them to develop their farming and horticultural careers.