The Sustainability Transition Challenge Wānanga took place on June 21 and 22 at the University of Canterbury in Ōtautahi / Christchurch. This Wānanga was jointly organized by Kā Waimaero/ Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury and the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation (3ci) at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.
The Māori word “wānanga” refers to a gathering of people to exchange traditional knowledge through a process of “profound inquiry”. The aim of wānanga within Māori culture is to preserve and pass on ancestral knowledge, customs, and values, ensuring their continuity through generations. Guided by the indigenous people of Ōtautahi, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, we drew upon the principles of wānanga to facilitate a discussion among leading indigenous, practitioner, science, and industry experts to discuss and address the sustainability transition challenge facing agriculture in Aotearoa New Zealand. These principles included::
- Bringing together a community of experts and practitioners across generations to share their knowledge with each other.
- Following a spirit of inquiry.
- Generating collective awareness, understanding and whanaungatanga (social cohesion).
- Being led by a kaupapa (philosophy/intension) of regenerating the health of whenua (land) and wai (waters) for mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei (for us and those that come after us)
The Context Given to Wānanga Participants:
Prior to the wānanga participants were provided with a brief of the sustainability transition facing New Zealand. It was outlined how Aotearoa New Zealand is at a crossroad, with pressure to agriculture to transition to carbon neutrality, address water quality concerns, and enhance biodiversity. However, at the same time, it was pointed out that agriculture is the backbone of the Aotearoa economy, and transitioning to a new way of operating entails risks that could threaten the country’s economic wellbeing. These conflicting pressures are felt by Māori who are aiming to improve te mauri te taiao | the health of the environment while also holding significant assets in the agricultural sector. It was described how there been various efforts to address the transition challenge facing Aotearoa New Zealand through collaborative governance initiatives, however, there is also growing polarization between groups based on assumptions about who will win or lose through these collaborative decision-making forums.
Structure of the wānanga
With this context in mind, participants in the wānanga were invited to provide their insights and solutions into how Aotearoa could undergo the sustainability transition. Day 1 of the wānanga (Wednesday 21 June) brought together diverse and innovative thinkers, leaders, and practitioners from various fields, including Indigenous development, governance, science, environment, and farming, to discuss the sustainability transition. They spoke to the transition challenge facing agriculture from their position and area of experience, knowledge, and expertise. They were encouraged to speak from a personal perspective rather than an institutional position, followed by questions from participants. Through this process of collective learning, an exchange of experience and knowledge between Indigenous and other perspectives was encouraged. The views shared by speakers, questions, and answers can be found here.
Day 1 also included a keynote presentation by Professor Frances Abele from Carleton University, Ottawa and Amsey Maracle (Mohawk and Plains Cree) located at the Centre for First Nations Governance. Frances and Amsey spoke about the role of collaborative research between academic institutions and Indigenous peoples to strengthen Indigenous self-determination and governance in Canada. The talk provided by Frances and Amsey, questions and answers can be found here.
On the second day of the Wānanga, participants discussed collaborative research needs and opportunities (both within Aotearoa and internationally) for moving forward. These component of the wānanga were not recorded, however, a summary of themes is being generated and will be available once completed.
Wānanga outcomes:
Though only two days long, this wānanga started important conversations on the transition to agricultural sustainability in Aotearoa – informed by voices from Canada.
On the second day, we gained valuable insights on specific topics that would benefit from further collaborative engagement, including better environmental monitoring, strengthening Mahinga Kai (traditional/customary food gathering) practices, incentivizing more sustainable farm practices aligned with appropriate markets, and strengthening co-governance.
That day yielded four central insights to form the basis of future work:
1) ‘Bring the whole community along’ (whether farmers, citizens, Indigenous community members) in the transition to sustainability, including when it comes to accepting the growing role of Indigenous voices in governance. A key to this is ensuring that transition efforts are informed by deep engagement with the ‘whole community’ throughout the process.
2) Share stories of transition happening at multiple levels of governance, illustrating transition pathways that are emerging and being acted upon, to grow their impact and inspire hope.
3) Show how these transition pathways are informed by reconciliation and decolonization efforts made by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, communities, and organizations.
4) Foster international dialogue through these stories. Participants recognized the value in sharing experiences on these issues across and between Aotearoa and Canada. While these countries are far apart, globally, they also share a common history of British colonization, and Indigenous people from both places have long connected to share political strategy. Further, Aotearoa appears well advanced in moving co-governance forward. Its history Indigenous reconciliation processes have generated a range of collaborative governance initiatives, as well as other institutional shifts, to support greater iwi autonomy and resulting economic and cultural revitalization opportunities. First Nations and the settler governments they engage with in Canada are developing rich experience in furthering self-determination. Indigenous communities retain deep knowledge of the environmental patterns and ecological management of landscapes on which traditional food production and foraging rely. These insights can be drawn upon in meeting the sustainability transition by settler governments. At the same time, in both countries there are tensions in this work, governance challenges, and lessons to learn from the efforts being undertaken.
Welcome:
Professor Te Maire Tau Upoko, Kā Waimaero, John Reid, and Peter Andree
Session 1: Whakahaere – Transforming policy and governance
- John Reid (Chair)
- Dr Jenny Webster-Brown, Director of Our Land and Water National Science Challenge
- Elizabeth Macpherson, Associate Professor Law, University of Canterbury
- Jan Hania, Principal – Strategy Development at Biome Trust; Taranaki Mounga Independent Board member
- Dr Eric Crampton, Chief Economist at New Zealand Initiative
Session 2: Whakatere: The journey of acquiring and applying knowledge
- Peter Andrée, (Chair)
- Dr Mike Joy, Senior Researcher at Victoria University of Wellington
- Gwen Grelet, Senior Researcher, Land use and Ecosystems, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
- Dr Shaun Awatere, Senior Kairangahau Māori at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
- Professor Frank Giffin, Professor Emeritus, University of Otago
Session 3: Te Whenua Hou Te Whenua Whitiora – Approaching a new farming horizon
- Sean Connelly, Geography, University of Otago (Chair)
- Brett Walter, Business Development Manager at Ngāi Tahu Farming and Forestry
- Greg Barclay, Regenerative Farming Coach at Soil Connection NZ
- Barry Bragg, Previous Chairman of Ngāi Tahu Farming and Director of Te Whenua Hou Te Whenua Whitiora (The New Land, The New Horizon) Regenerative Farming Programme Ngāi Tahu Farms
- Dr Jay Whitehead, Managing Director at Matatih
Session 4: Whakakoha ki te ao Māori -Transforming our relationship to whenua (land) through embracing te ao Māori
- Eden Skipper, Special Advisor – Māori Capability at Ministry of Primary Industries (Chair)
- Naomi Aporo, Kaihāpai Māori – Senior Leader Māori at Our Land and Water National Science Challenge
- Professor Hugh Campbell, Professor of Sociology, Gender Studies and Criminology, School of Social Sciences, University of Otago
- Fiona Wiremu, Executive director at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
- Te Aue Addison-Valaau, Principal Advisor to the Group General Manager Māori at the NZ Institute of Plant and Food Research
Session 5: Tauutuutu – Transforming the agri-economy
- Dr John Reid, Senior Research Fellow at Kā Waimaero | Ngāi Tahu Centre, University of Canterbury (Chair)
- Vanessa Winning, CEO at IrrigationNZ
- Dr John Saunders, Research Officer, Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit, Lincoln University
- Dr Katherine Dixon, Co-Director at Nature Positive
- Dr. Paul Dalziel, Lincoln University
Keynote Address and discussion: Rebuilding First Nations Governance in Canada
- Amsey Maracle, Centre for First Nations Governance (Ottawa)
- Dr. Frances Abele, Distinguished Research Professor and Chancellor’s Professor Emerita at Carleton University