108 | Matamata: Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust COMMUNITY Benefits to flow from Peria project Virginia Wright Rukumoana Schaafhausen is Te Waharoa Investments Managing Director. Ruku and the wider iwi are in an exciting space with the fruition of many visionary projects including the Peria Project and Standard. It is a time of self-determination for the people of Ngāti Hauā, enhanced through meaningful partnerships with industry experts to enable better use and greater outcomes of 1500ha of land owned by various whānau land trusts. Ruku says that many benefits will flow both from the whānau and to the whānau by taking over the operation of land that has been intergenerationally leased out. “We want to manage and use the whenua to improve the environment, employment and economic outcomes of our people who have historically stepped back from determining its uses. We see great opportunity here to create a holistic approach guided by the principles of our tupuna Wiremu Tamihana who, established the Peria Village and way of engaging with the land back in 1846.” In fact Wiremu Tamihana was a real pioneer carrying great foresight and vision into how the whenua, appropriately used according to custom, could realise the potential of prosperity of his Iwi. It’s this grounding, in the history of the Iwi that is the driving force and underpinning strength of the work Ruku and her team are engaging in today. So far, $1.2 million has come from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund to develop a horticulture programme that will enable Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust whānau to not only upskill but to importantly diversify their businesses and generate wealth from their land. A further $150,000 has been added to the resourcing pool from the Ministry for Social Development while Te Waharoa Investments Ltd, the commercial arm of Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust, has provided a further $775,000. A three year Peria Horticultural programme delivered through an education hub will trial high-value crops in a way that reflects mātauranga Māori principles. This body of knowledge will be known as the Peria Standard and will inform future landuse practices. It’s approach will be thoroughly holistic in nature and not simply what happens with the soil. to page 110
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