Extension 350 and Hawaiki Cable project win awards
Northland Inc was a double winner at the 2018 Economic Development NZ Awards last week, with Extension 350, a farmer-led, farmer-focused extension project that aims to lift profitability, environmental sustainability and wellbeing on Northland farms, and for its work with the 15,000km super fibre-optic Hawaiki Cable project, which connects New Zealand with Australia, the mainland United States, Hawaii and the Pacific.
Extension 350 project lead Luke Beehre said the sustainability development award acknowledged the farmers who were involved in the project, and in particular the target farmers who had opened their businesses to scrutiny.
The project, which began in November 2016, would over five years involve 350 farmers throughout Northland.
Mr Beehre said the concept involved mentor farmers and farm consultants working with target farmers to make improvements to their businesses. The target farmers would then share what they had learned with associate farmers.
“We’re seeing great results in the three key areas of profitability, environmental sustainability and wellbeing on the individual farms, and we are now starting to see that this project has the potential to transform Northland’s agricultural sector,” he said.
EDNZ CEO Susan Houston said the awards committee considered Extension 350 to be a best practice example of sustainable development, adding that it was a smart and savvy use of land that would have beneficial economic and environmental ramifications for present and future Northlanders.
Extension 350, which is supported by Northland Inc and funded by DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the Northland Regional Council and the Ministry for Primary Industries, is part of the Northland Tai Tokerau Economic Action Plan.
Meanwhile Vaughan Cooper accepted the Best Practice in Inward Investment award for Northland Inc’s part in delivering the $445 million super fibre-optic submarine cable, which is expected to futureproof New Zealand’s internet capacity for the next 25 years, to Mangawhai.
Mr Cooper said the conversation with Hawaiki founder and CEO Remi Galasso began in 2013, after a group of local businessmen learned the Hawaiki team was looking for a suitable landing site in New Zealand.
“It began with establishing trust and understanding what Remi and the team needed, and showing them around the region to see what was possible and what wasn’t,” he said.
“They weren’t familiar with New Zealand’s regional, political, economic and social environment, so we helped them navigate the landscape, along with site selection and consenting requirements. We also helped them engage with stakeholders, including iwi.
“These are all things we take for granted as part of our everyday work, but can be challenging for someone who doesn’t know the lay of the land.”
Whanga¯rei businessman Barry Trass, who was one of those who originally contacted Northland Inc about Hawaiki’s digital opportunity, said he believed getting the cable into Northland would support the vision of building a data centre at One Tree Point.
“For Hawaiki, it was about creating a whole new sector.”.
Ms Houston said the awards committee selected Northland Inc’s work on the Hawaiki project as an outstanding example of best practice in inward investment.