New Zealand and Scotland
September 22, 2009
Scottish agricultural experts will join AgResearch and other New Zealand rural industry representatives by video link for a two day action-focussed conference on 23 and 24 September 2009. The event will feature debate on how to balance market forces and environmental development.
The Conference will identify potential for collaborative research between the two countries in a range of areas of interest.
AgResearch’s Dr Liz Wedderburn says “The sharing of ideas and resources is relevant right now as both countries are coming to the same issues from different directions. New Zealand’s rural scene has been market driven for many years and we are increasing our commitment to environmental issues, while Scotland is now starting to respond to market forces.”
Dr Wedderburn says both New Zealand and Scotland’s economies place a great reliance on agriculture and the rural economy. Issues that will be explored during the conference are:
- How technology can assist agriculture;
- The role of food culture (like branding, farmers markets etc.) in the future of agriculture;
- The economic futures of rural communities with changes to agriculture; and
- Dealing with the global demand for food production while at the same time maintaining environmental integrity.
Dr Wedderburn says the composition of the Scottish contingent will be very similar to the New Zealand policymakers, industry representatives, researchers rural and agricultural stakeholders. The initiative has come out of a partnership agreement between AgResearch and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) aimed at finding ways science can best assist agriculture, rural businesses and rural communities.
Dr Wedderburn says. “We want to learn from the experiences of both countries to gain a greater understanding of the policy, industry and research implications of current and future pathways for agriculture and rural development.” She says this conference will also help forge collaborative links between organisations and stakeholders.
The New Zealand link of the conference will be held on AgResearch’s Ruakura campus in Hamilton. The plenary sessions will be video-linked.
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