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Rose Vainetutai Toki-Brown – Minister for Agriculture, John Clarke – Woodhaven Gardens director, Te Kai Natura Taokotai (KNT) directors and members concluded their business plan launch last week. MELINA ETCHES/23103002
The Kai Natura Taokotai (KNT) group is moving ahead in their co-operative mission to establish a Cook Islands growers’ company (Farmers Co-op) to support, upskill, manage risk, and innovate our primary producers’ farm businesses.
KNT, representing a membership of over 500, has
partnered with the MG New Zealand Fresh Produce Group for their business plan
project, which was launched last week.
John Tierney, a director at KNT, explained that their
aim is to develop a comprehensive business plan in collaboration with farmers,
ministries, officials, organisations, and stakeholders.
Tierney said the MG Group will engage with Cook
Islands farmers and families, government ministries, and stakeholders in
shaping KNT’s business plan. He highlighted that the MG Group is providing
their professional expertise to create the business plan free of charge.
A draft of the plan is expected to be completed by
February or March of next year. To facilitate this joint effort, a series of
online meetings will be organised, engaging farmers in discussions and seeking
their input on various aspects.
Also, online discussions will be held with Pa Enua
farmers to ensure their valuable perspectives are incorporated into the
business plan.
John Clarke, owner and director of the Woodhaven
Gardens, a 45-year-old farm growing 2000 acres of production of green leafy
vegetables with around 300 staff in Aotearoa New Zealand, attended the series
of meetings.
Clarke, who started Woodhaven Gardens with his
parents, shared his knowledge of farming commercial systems and practices, crop
agreements, innovation, science, and technology.
“I’m here to share my experiences with cooperatives
and the importance of belonging to that organisation, as it is extremely
beneficial for growers,” he said.
“I’m supporting in terms of facts and philosophy. I
think once growers here start to realise the formation of the plan and is going
to help them in what they are all trying to do.
“The power of the collective is far greater than the
individual.”
Clarke noted that Cook Islands growers face similar
issues to those in New Zealand, such as labour and access to market.
“The actual growing issues we face on the day-to-day
basis are very similar,” he said.
Man Unuia, speaking on behalf of Minister of
Agriculture Rose Vainetutai Toki-Brown, said she “fully supports” the co-op
initiative seeing the growers coming together.
Unuia said the goal is to ensure food security going
forward, and the long-term goal is export.
The Kai Natura Taokotai mission statement is to
empower organisations to foster collaborative thinking to drive workplace
innovation. They believe that a company should act as a community and use tools
to communicate quickly and efficiently.
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