The organics sector is providing hope to many Maori in rural areas as a means to enable their whanau (families), hapu (sub-tribes) and Iwi (tribes) to achieve tino-rangatiratanga and self-determined development.  Te Waka Kai Ora is mindful of the Maori organic vision and what it stands for.  This includes the restoration of Maori values, knowledge and practices which are an integral element of the traditional economy of Aotearoa (NZ).

Maori have retained ownership of communally-held lands which remain free of agrichemicals and are well positioned for organic development.  In achieving our goal to promote the development of tikanga Maori-based frameworks for land and forest organic development, Te Waka Kai Ora promotes research and development in the following areas:

▲ Organic Land Development and Planning

▲ Intellectual and Cultural Resource Protection

▲ Native Resource Auditing and Identification

▲ Native Resource Management