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Welcome to Collaboration Tai Tokerau.

We’re excited to share this great project with you and hope you’ll join the journey!

So what's the project all about?

This project is not your standard gig! Regional development funding usually comes tagged to a purpose or a project. Collaboration Tai Tokerau (CTT) is different because its creating and holding the space for our regions producers to explore together future areas of development, collaboration and focus. CTT will then wrap support and resources around identified areas to take interest to action!

CTT is grateful to be supported by the Northland Agricultural Forum, the Ministry for Primary Industries and Northland Inc. These parties all see an opportunity in a space that enables connection and collaboration across the primary sector to create a stronger and more resilient Tai Tokerau/Northland region.

Sounds good, but what does that actually mean?

The grand vision is for Te Tai Tokerau/Northland to have the most resilient, inclusive and collaborative primary sector in Aotearoa. Ultimately, we want to connect Te Tai Tokerau/Northland high-quality food and fibre products to high value markets by creating new, or strengthening existing, relationships.

Achieving the vision will mean greater regional:
  •  Resilience - “not putting all our eggs in one basket” through diverse land use, networks and support mechanisms through our already interconnected rural communities.
  • Readiness for change - Change is here. When we come together, breaking down silos, we can be more responsive and ready for change. We can grab the opportunities that are aligned to the future we choose.
  • Recognising capability and whakapapa - We want to be leading rather than lagging and we need to look back to move forward.

Cool, so what's the first step?

We are starting the conversation with a Collaboration Hui on 22 February 2022. We had originally planned to have it on 7 October, however with COVID, we have pushed it out.

The Collaboration Hui will invite together 100 passionate, capable and innovative primary producers and a few closely related sector leaders e.g. local hospitality owners and tourism operators. The participants will share ideas, opportunities and challenges within the Northland primary sector and develop collaborative themes for future development.

CTT recognises that there is no one framework for success. So success from the Collaboration Hui will mean different things to different people:
  • Leaving the day energised and willing to keep the conversation going;
  • Recognising there are mutually beneficial opportunities to be explored between different sectors; and/or,
  • A widely supported focus area can be identified as a regional aspirational project.

We know that collaboration, trusted relationships and forming new communities of interest takes time, so we're in this for the long haul. Based on the conversations, connections and outcomes at the Collaboration Hui, the CTT team will make a plan for what comes next. We can't have everyone at the Collaboration Hui but we want all producers and related business to be able to get involved. It's all part of promise to listen and respond to what our region really wants!

Nga mihi,
Claudia and the project team