News
Invitation to join us for a webinar co-hosted by NZARES:
Whai Rawa
A tikanga Maori grounded economy
Presented
by Dr Shaun Awatere
(Ngati Porou),
Senior Kairangahau Maori, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
Pou Patai Mauri, Nga Pae o te Maramatanga – New Zealand’s Maori Centre of Research Excellence
‘Neoliberalism has failed us, our waterways are contaminated, and their mauri has diminished, humanity faces a climate catastrophe and inequality is increasingly becoming
entrenched in our communities. If Maori are to enact new economies that are generative, equitable and responsive to climate change, “the economy” in Aoteaora NZ needs to be dramatically re-imagined.’
This webinar outlines the key findings from Whai Rawa – Maori Economies programme within Nga Pae o te Maramatanga. The concept of Whai Rawa – a tikanga Maori grounded
economy offers one such alternative vision. Drawn from Kaupapa Maori theories and models, and research on ‘diverse economies,’ we conceptualise the Maori economy as an ecosystem of transactions,
labour practices (both paid and unpaid) and institutions that contribute to social well-being, guided
by Maori ethical values and practices.
Oranga or well-being exists beyond individuals, households and firms, has tangible and intangible manifestations, and is relationally based. This approach allows us
to make visible the alternative economic activities that contribute to social well-being for Maori, and to develop mechanisms to support and extend them. For
example, economies of caring (manaakitanga) and sharing/redistribution (whanaungatanga) are essential enablers of collective wellbeing in Te Ao Maori but are largely hidden from the purview of mainstream economic metrics and models. Values such as kaitiakitanga
(sustainable resource management) and rangatiratanga (self-determination) guide the governance of collective Maori assets and provide the glue for whanau livelihoods.
Date:
Wednesday 15th December 2021
Time:
10.30am – 11.00am
You can register to attend this webinar via this link:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2825681531138224654
Instructions on how to join will be included in the webinar reminder emails. If you want to access the recording of this session, please register and you will receive a link
to the recording an hour after it has finished.
2021 conference summary
The New Zealand Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (NZARES) annual conference was all set to be held in sunny Nelson on 2 and 3 September. Then, two weeks beforehand, a community case of the delta variant was discovered in Auckland and the government implemented a snap nationwide lockdown. The NZARES committee did an amazing job pivoting the entire conference programme to Zoom, though unfortunately the field trip to sustainable wineries will have to wait until next year.
Professor Nicola Shadbolt from Massey University gave the opening lecture on the conference theme of What’s next for the Primary Industries? Then, the first panel session covered Covid-19 Impacts on Primary Sector Supply Chains. Next, the 95 registrants participated in the first of four contributed paper sessions, which included 45 presentations from across NZ over the two days.
The second day of the conference featured two panel sessions. The first panel of the day was entitled Climate (He Waka Eke Noa). It refers to the Māori whakataukī the government has used for the current agriculture climate change policy process, meaning “we’re all in this together”. The second panel session was a discussion about Sustainable and Innovative Practices, with a focus on-farm. The final session of the day was led by AARES President Gavan Dwyer, who gave a fascinating talk on The productivity performance of the Australian dairy industry.
Femi Olubode began his term as president of NZARES, with Nazmun Ratna serving as president-elect for another year. Wei Yang joined the committee as Secretary. We extend our thanks to Ramilan Thiagarajah and Rachael Davidson, who remain on the committee but step down from their busy roles as President and Secretary. Amaka Nnaji won the Best Paper Award for Determinants of the risk perception of farmer-herder conflicts: Evidence from rural Nigeria. The Best First Time Presenter Award was given to Odmaa Narantungalag for "The Local Impacts of Natural Resource Extraction: Evidence from Mongolia". Tiffany McIntyre received this year’s NZARES Post-Graduate Award.
The online conference received positive feedback from participants, particularly given how quickly it had to be shifted from an in person event. We hope to be able to pick up next year with an in person event.