Land for Life is excited to announce an NZ$995,000 funding grant from the New Zealand Government’s Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFFF) fund, marking a major step forward in efforts to combat erosion, enhance farm productivity and improve water quality across the region.
With the support of the Government, the initiative aims to validate and scale up its erosion management model, benefiting farmers and the environment alike.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby says, “This funding will allow us to expand our initial trial from 12 farms to 100 farms, with the potential to extend the programme to other regions in the future. We’ll be able to offer both financial and technical support to farmers, helping them implement erosion control practices that improve farm resilience to climate change and reduce sediment runoff into our waterways.”
Quote: Abbie Reynolds
Reducing land erosion through native plantings benefits all of us—our native species and our communities.
Ms. Ormsby says, “We’re looking forward to validating this model and continuing to work with farmers to achieve the environmental and economic outcomes that will benefit not just our farms but the entire community. With the Government’s support, this initiative has the potential to set a new standard for sustainable farming practices in New Zealand.”
“We are proud to be part of a nationally unique solution to our regional erosion problem,” says Ms. Ormsby, “The Government’s partnership in this initiative is crucial to scaling up this work and ensuring its success.”
The Nature Conservancy Aotearoa New Zealand Country Director Abbie Reynolds says, “Reducing land erosion through native plantings benefits all of us—our native species and our communities. We’re pleased to see the enthusiasm of landowners for adopting new farm planning approaches, supported by our global expertise in, and experience with, new financing solutions, and based on years of scientific research and engagement. This support from the SFFF fund will play a crucial part in helping the programme to validate the model, scale up and support more rural communities to continue to thrive into the future.”
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Background
Land For Life was established in 2018 and brings together key stakeholders including the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and The Nature Conservancy Aotearoa New Zealand (TNC NZ). The partnership has already run early trials showing promise in reducing erosion and enhancing farm resilience.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has estimated that there are 250,000 hectares of erosion prone land in the region with more than 1,000 tons/km2 of sediment being lost into the region’s waterways each year.
This sediment loss not only degrades water quality but also impacts land productivity, affecting both farming operations and the broader ecosystem.
The SFFF grant will fund Phase Three of the programme. This will build on earlier successes, expanding the initiative to 100 farms across Hawke’s Bay, with the potential to reach an additional 300 farms in the region over time. If the model proves to be successful at the regional level, it could be scaled to other areas.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.