Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures projects
Find out about Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) projects that have been funded so far.
Hemp database digital tool
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $81,000
- Co-investment funding: $54,000
- Sectors: Agritech, Arable, Natural fibres
- Sub-sectors: Plant-based fibres
- Project partners: New Zealand Hemp Industries Association, Webtools Agritech
- Regions: Nationwide
This project developed a minimum viable product tool to improve digitisation among primary producers in the New Zealand hemp industry. The web-based tool allows individual growers to record high-quality data for the benefit of an industry which is still in its early growth stage. Hemp growers must be licensed and act in accordance with regulations. As the tool is further developed, it will facilitate license applications and offer guidance on compliance.
Hemp optimisation project
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $245,568
- Co-investment funding: $407,532
- Sectors: Arable, Natural fibres
- Sub-sectors: Plant-based fibres, Seeds
- Project partners: Hemp Connect Limited
- Regions: Manawatū-Whanganui
The project achieved several key outcomes, including successful reduction of production costs in various hemp processing phases, discovery of high-value markets, and a path forward for the hemp industry in New Zealand. Innovations in dehulling led to a world-first product with provisional patent and commercialisation plans. Despite reduced market prices due to imported hemp, the project prompted collaborative efforts in the industry and revealed consumer preference for New Zealand-made hemp products. Ongoing challenges include price management and meeting diverse market demands.
Media release: MPI backs project to establish internationally competitive hemp seed processing plant
Hemp R& D Phase 1
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $96,000
- Co-investment funding: $150,000
- Sectors: Natural fibres
- Sub-sectors: Plant-based fibres
- Project partners: NZ Yarn Limited
- Regions: Canterbury
This project informed the development of innovative, clean and sustainable technology to produce fit-for-purpose hemp fibre. It tested a range of technologies and evaluated them for their effectiveness and efficiency in separating and processing hemp fibre from the stems. NZ Yarn will use these findings to set up a leading-edge natural fibre processing line.
Hemp Seed Milk Project
- Project start date:
- Project length: 1 year
- MPI funding: $140,800
- Co-investment funding: $352,000
- Sectors: Alternative proteins
- Sub-sectors: Plant-based protein
- Project partners: Hemp Connect LImited
- Regions: Nationwide
This project will develop a formula for a nutritional alternative to dairy milk made from New Zealand grown hemp seeds.
Hemp – developing a sustainable natural fibre industry
- Project start date:
- Project length: 5 years
- MPI funding: $1,341,564
- Co-investment funding: $2,012,345
- Sectors: Natural fibres
- Sub-sectors: Plant-based fibres
- Project partners: NZ Natural Fibres
- Regions: Canterbury
This comprehensive programme will investigate all aspects of the production of hemp fibre in New Zealand. It will focus on plant genetics, agronomics, product innovation and market development, with the aim of elevating New Zealand onto the world stage of industrial hemp.
Funding of hemp fibre innovation set to propel New Zealand on to world stage – MPI media release
Hieracium biocontrol
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $103,000
- Co-investment funding: $19,991
- Sectors: Dairy
- Sub-sectors: Biosecurity, Other animal dairy products/research
- Project partners: Hieracium Biocontrol Group, Landcare Research New Zealand Limited
- Regions: Nationwide
This project assessed the success of biocontrol agents for Hieracium weed that were introduced 20 years ago. Two of the 5 biocontrol agents previously imported are spreading well. However, there is no evidence that Hieracium densities have reduced, except in areas where land management initiatives such as fertiliser application and irrigation have favoured productive species.
Hikuwai Uawa Cluster
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $56,580
- Co-investment funding: $11,316
- Sectors: Māori agribusiness, Meat
- Sub-sectors: Other meat products/research
- Project partners: Marotiri Farm Partnership
- Regions: Gisborne
The Hikuwai Uawa Cluster is a collective of three incorporations and one partnership, farming nine separate sheep and beef farms. This project supported them to collectivise and dive deeper into understanding and identifying efficiencies across cropping, stock production, horticulture while promoting positive environmental outcomes.
Hiruhārama Horticulture Collective
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $150,000
- Co-investment funding: $30,000
- Sectors: Arable, Māori agribusiness
- Sub-sectors: Other arable products
- Project partners: Aorangi Whanau Trust
- Regions: Manawatū-Whanganui
This project aims to improve sheep and beef farm management for Māori landowners in Hurihārama, Whanganui region.
Implementing a transformative business model for New Zealand Young Farmers
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $1,760,000
- Co-investment funding: $711,288
- Sectors: Sector resilience
- Project partners: New Zealand Young Farmers
- Regions: Nationwide
This project will enable New Zealand Young Farmers to better support young people in the primary sector by strengthening its core business, future-proofing the organisation, and ensuring its financial sustainability.
Investing in the future of New Zealand Young Farmers – Government media release
Improving allied veterinary professional utilisation
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $80,000
- Co-investment funding: $49,900
- Sectors: Animal health and welfare, Sector resilience
- Project partners: Massey University, Lewis Fitch Fund, Roger Morris Foundation Trust
- Regions: Nationwide
Allied Veterinary Professionals (AVPs) and paraprofessionals include veterinary technologists, nurses, technicians and assistants. This project provided evidence that AVPs and paraprofessionals are currently significantly underutilised in New Zealand veterinary practices. The main barriers to utilising AVPs more effectively were the inability to recruit and retain appropriately qualified AVPs, a lack of awareness around the clinical tasks that AVPs are legally allowed to perform, and not having a legislative framework to regulate AVPs as a profession in New Zealand. Once these barriers are addressed, there will be scope for veterinary clinics to explore different business models for better leveraging AVPs to address critical veterinary workforce shortages.
Improving and optimising the grain industry from farm to supply
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $79,400
- Co-investment funding: $131,300
- Sectors: Agritech, Arable
- Sub-sectors: Cereals
- Project partners: GrainTec Limited
- Regions: Nationwide
GrainTec researched developing a low-cost sensor to measure grain levels in silos. The sensor transmits data direct to farmers, via an app across a LoRaWAN network. Trials on three sites and market research indicate that this offering has value for farmers. GrainTec is now working with partners identified during market research to refine and test the sensor ready for market.
Improving the embryo development process and increasing New Zealand's supply of elite merit bulls
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $598,188
- Co-investment funding: $1,084,182
- Sectors: Animal health and welfare, Dairy, Meat
- Project partners: Rissington Farms Limited, Kai Mana Milltrust, Synthase Biotech
- Regions: Nationwide
This project increases supply of elite-merit bulls for New Zealand’s dairy beef industry, providing farmers with better, cheaper tools to improve animal welfare and reduce net greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining herd performance and boosting profitability. The project also pilots a novel, high-throughput, cattle embryo development technology, and will determine its economic viability at a commercial scale for cattle genetics companies and farmers.
Informing New Zealand Beef
- Project start date:
- Project length: 7 years
- MPI funding: $6,684,600
- Co-investment funding: $10,026,900
- Sectors: Meat
- Sub-sectors: Beef
- Project partners: Beef + Lamb New Zealand Limited
- Regions: Nationwide
Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) aims to deliver best practice genetic selection tools to improve the productivity and profitability of New Zealand’s beef industry, in a sustainable manner that responds to consumer preferences.
New Zealand beef genetics to receive $16.7m injection – Beef + Lamb New Zealand
Informing New Zealand Beef outcome logic model [PDF, 67 KB]
July to September 2023: Informing New Zealand Beef progress report [PDF, 314 KB]
April to June 2023: Informing New Zealand Beef progress report [PDF, 387 KB]
January to March 2023: Informing New Zealand Beef progress report [PDF, 319 KB]
October to December 2022: Informing New Zealand Beef progress report [PDF, 629 KB]
July to September 2022: Informing New Zealand Beef progress report [PDF, 1.2 MB]
Innovating for a sustainable future
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $104,500
- Co-investment funding: $26,000
- Sectors: Agritech, Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Other fruit/fruit products, Other vegetables/vegetable products
- Project partners: BioTech NZ, NZTech, AbbVie, Callaghan Innovation, MBIE, ATEED
- Regions: Nationwide
This project produced an analysis of the state of biotechnology in New Zealand and its impact and benefits for the economy and society.
Aotearoa New Zealand boosted by biotech: Innovating for a sustainable future [PDF, 9 MB]
Innovative livestock washing system for enhanced sustainability outcomes in the red meat sector
- Project start date:
- Project length: 5 years
- MPI funding: $333,472
- Co-investment funding: $500,208
- Sectors: Agritech, Meat
- Sub-sectors: Sheepmeat (including lamb)
- Project partners: Silver Fern Farms
- Regions: Nationwide
The project will pilot the Klenzion Stockwash system to reduce water use and wastewater volume. It will provide tools for the wider red meat industry to incentivise uptake. The system has the potential to reduce the water use for livestock washing by around 50% annually and decrease wastewater output by around 13%.
Kabocha innovation project
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $95,890
- Co-investment funding: $143,835
- Sectors: Food and beverage products, Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Other vegetables/vegetable products
- Project partners: Kabocha Milk Co
- Regions: Hawke's Bay
This project successfully developed a 'kabochamilk' beverage for export to Asian markets, using lower-grade New Zealand grown buttercup squash. The SFF Futures co-investment boosted Kabocha Milk Co’s efforts to formulate, manufacture, and market a shelf-stable product. Kabochamilk is fully vegan, and free from artificial flavours and colours. The company has already made agreements with distributors in Japan and Korea.
New Zealand grown and manufactured Kabochamilk heading for Asian market – MPI media release
Kabocha Innovation Project 2
- Project start date:
- Project length: 18 months
- MPI funding: $180,156
- Co-investment funding: $270,234
- Sectors: Alternative proteins, Food and beverage products
- Project partners: Kabocha Milk Co Limited, AGMARDT
- Regions: Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay
This project aims to create a circular economy by developing high value uses for unexportable kabocha waste. It will refine the waste products from the first SFF Futures kabocha innovation project, which developed a ‘kabochamilk’ beverage, and explore high-value uses for the remaining waste, such as the seeds and peel.
Karioi - reconnecting our whānau to their whenua
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $265,963
- Co-investment funding: $305,894
- Sectors: Horticulture, Māori agribusiness
- Project partners: Wakatu Inc
- Regions: Nelson
Despite the impact of COVID-19, this project was able to deliver an enriching series of wānanga that have helped reconnect whānau to their customary land and water. Through a programme rooted in te ao Māori and maramataka, the project has accumulated and shared mātauranga Māori on growing indigenous crops through tikanga-led regenerative practices. Efforts to share insights and scale-up production at the māra will continue as extension and post-project activities.
Katikati innovative horticulture project
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $144,000
- Co-investment funding: $194,660
- Sectors: Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Other vegetables/vegetable products
- Project partners: Katikati Innovative Horticulture Trust
- Regions: Bay of Plenty
This project aims to create a self-sustaining centre of excellence for horticultural training and education at Katikati College. Secondary school students, young people who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) and people looking to change careers will be offered education and training opportunities and career pathways into the horticulture sector. This will support the growing need for skilled horticultural workers.
Kinanomics NZ - Restoring kelp forests
- Project start date:
- Project length: 18 months
- MPI funding: $992,000
- Co-investment funding: $1,463,266
- Sectors: Seafood/aquatic
- Project partners: NZ Ltd
- Regions: Nationwide
This applied research pilot will focus on establishing an end-to-end supply chain and business model for sea urchin (kina) enhancement in New Zealand while addressing kina ‘barrens’ that have replaced large areas of kelp forests. The overarching goal is to develop a new seafood export industry that provides commercial, social and environmental benefits to New Zealand.