46 | nzdairy DAIRY INNOVATION » Callaghan Innovation Agritech is the use of technology in agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture to improve yield, ef ciency, and pro tability. Connecting, promoting agritech in NZ Richard Loader AgriTech New Zealand (AgriTechNZ) was established in 2018 to create a connection between everyone involved in New Zealand’s agritech ecosystem and provide an independent but powerful uni ed voice. Agritech is the use of technology in agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture with the objective of enabling sustainability and improving yield, ef - ciency, and pro tability. It includes digital technologies, smart tools and equipment, biotechnology and any innovation that enables food systems. “Many agritech innovations are addressing the very important questions that Kiwis, and the world, are facing right now, whether that’s around environmental management, labour shortages or climate change,” says AgriTechNZ Chief Executive Brendan O’Connell. “These are all burning issues and that is where agritech is front and centre.” AgriTechNZ’s foundation was about creating a centre of gravity for all of the interests around agritech in and from New Zealand, explains Brendan. “While connecting people to the internal ecosystem, there is also the external voice bringing Kiwi agritech businesses into global markets. We’re connecting with agritech organisations all around the world so we can create introductions and pathways for companies to connect with their peers overseas.” Representing 160 members, as well as the wider industry sector, AgriTechNZ is an independent non-government membership group, funded by its members. “The membership is quite diverse and encompasses agritech trading businesses including wellestablished agritech brands that New Zealand is famous for, along with a growing number of smaller early-stage businesses. It includes investor groups, research organisations such as the universities and Crown Research Institutes, government agencies, and agri-businesses that represent paths to market for agritech or act as integrators of agritech solutions. Membership also includes farmer and grower industry groups such as DairyNZ, Beef and Lamb New Zealand, Horticulture New Zealand, and Apple and Pears New Zealand.” The organisation’s role is to connect, promote and advance agritech in and from New Zealand. Creating that sense of community with people understanding that there is something connecting all these businesses together was the rst step in AgriTechNZ’s journey, says Brendan. “Recognising agritech as a sector in and of itself has been an important rst step. Agritech is a key service provider to New Zealand’s primary industry, but it also has a signi cant export footprint with a large export potential. So it’s important in terms of its contribution to New Zealand’s GDP.” AgriTechNZ also plays a key role representing agritech’s contribution when it comes to government policy making, by working with Government partners, informing government policy and making sure the technology voice from an agritech perspective is well understood. “It’s useful that we’re a non-government entity, because we can provide that independent voice for the sector as a whole. Many of our members would be well able to represent themselves in discussions with the government or other parts of the New Zealand ecosystem. But having that representative voice of the sector can be very powerful and it makes it easier for the Government to interact with the sector as a whole.” Agritech includes digital technologies, smart tools and equipment, biotechnology and innovations that enable food systems.
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