The Kaipara District has a long history of food production. Through its abundant harbour, seas, lakes, forests and more recently livestock farming and vegetable growing. According to local iwi, Kaipara was historically seen as a ‘Garden of Eden. The primary food sector is the major employer in Kaipara.
Kaipara Kai was established as part of the greater Kaipara KickStart programme of works led by Kaipara District Council to grow the district’s economy and increase community wellbeing. The programme of work is supported by the government’s Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, with funding from the Provincial Growth Fund. As part of Kaipara Kai, Northland Inc was contracted by KDC to establish and operate a Kaipara Kai Hub, an on-the-ground service centre. The centre, opened in March 2020 and provided local food producers with a physical location to access information and build connections. The Hub was funded to operate until June 2021.
For more information about the Kaipara Kai project, visit the Kaipara Kai section of the Kaipara District Council website
Northland Inc is still active in the Kaipara region through the Peanut Trial projects, and as site managers for the Kaipara Water demonstration sites.
Watermelon were one of the cropped trialed on the irrigated site in Dargaville in 2022.
Kaipara District Council implemented this project as part of Kaipara Kickstart, supported by the government’s Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, with funding from the Provincial Growth Fund.
The key outcome of this project, linked to the strategic outcomes of the Kaipara Kai project, is a practical working demonstration model to provide confidence and commitment to land transformation to benefit the community and interested parties.
Two demonstration sites demonstrate working examples of irrigating high value horticultural crops in the Kaipara. Northland Inc. is contracted by KDC to manage the two sites, located at Te Kopuru on private land, and further north at Maunganui Bluff on iwi land.
Source: Kaipara District Council Kaipara District Council has confirmed sunflowers and squash for the second growing season of the Kaipara Water demonstration sites. The two sites are located at Te… Read more