Manufacturing underway at Mahinga Innovation Centre, at Ngawha Innovation & Enterprise Park in Kaikohe. Northland Inc has launched a new initiative to unlock the potential of manufacturing in the region
Manufacturing underway at Mahinga Innovation Centre, at Ngawha Innovation & Enterprise Park in Kaikohe. Northland Inc has launched a new initiative to unlock the potential of manufacturing in the region
Northland has huge potential for further land use and manufacturing opportunities and a new project has been launched to get the most out of the possibilities.
The Northland Inc project to unlock land use and manufacturing opportunities in the region is called Pūtake Whakatupu (Foundation for Growth).
It’s billed as a transformative project aimed at identifying, supporting and developing land use and value-added manufacturing opportunities in Taitokerau Northland.
The aim is to see Northland’s primary sector, people and environment thrive through adaptation and innovation, leading to new commercial opportunities and sustained and resilient economic growth.
Crop diversification underway during the Northland Peanut Trials, on site at Pouto, illustrates the potential for land use and manufacturing in the region.
Luke Beehre, project lead for the Tuputupu Grow Northland initiative, emphasises the significance of the new venture in ensuring existing land use in Northland adapts to the changing environment.
“Pūtake Whakatupu is more than just a project; it’s a pathway to unlocking the full potential of land and resources across Northland. Our aim is to collaborate closely with landowners, iwi and hapū, industry and local and central government to explore future-focused land uses and to foster opportunities that align with their aspirations for whenua, whānau, and the wider community. We believe that sustainable and innovative land use can drive meaningful economic, environmental, and cultural outcomes for the region,” Beehre said.
Pūtake Whakatupu will involve in-depth engagement with key stakeholders, including landowners, local farmers, growers, and associated manufacturing sectors. The project will undertake the development of market opportunity reports that assess economic pathways for optimising land use and creating value-added products in the region.
Luke Beehre, project lead for the Tuputupu Grow Northland initiative.
A survey has been launched to allow interested parties to help build a picture of the current primary industries and associated manufacturing landscape in Northland. Following the survey, four workshops will be held across the region in November to facilitate further discussions and gather insights to feed into the market opportunity reports.
“Northland holds a wealth of experience and knowledge across our regional primary industries and associated manufacturing sectors, from landowners and growers through to stakeholders and organisations. We’re eager to tap into this knowledge and get collaboration under way to ensure the Pūtake Whakatupu project delivers benefits across the region” Beehre said.
For more information on the project, to complete the survey or reach out to the Tuputupu Grow Northland team, visit: www.northlandnz.com/grownorthland.
