Environmental monitoring and research for improved resilience on ARGOS farms

This report outlines a rationale for proposed environmental monitoring on 136 farms participatingin the Agriculture Research Group on Sustainability (ARGOS) project. A transdisciplinaryresearch team of around 20 researchers, including sociologists, economists, farm managementexperts and ecologists will assess the sustainability and socio-ecological resilience of farms andorchards participating in organic, Integrated Management (IM), conventional farming systemsand Maori farming systems. The farming sectors represented range from (i) high-input:highoutputagriculture for dairy and kiwifruit production (mainly in North Island New Zealand),through (ii) medium-input:medium-output sheep and beef farming on the plains or rolling low hillcountry of South Island, to (iii) very low-input-low-output sheep/beef farming in the South IslandHigh Country. A parallel study of Maori land use and sustainable development amongst NgaiTahu Runanga will include a variety of other farming approaches. A meta-analysis over all farmsectors and farming systems will attempt to identify key drivers of change and barriers toimproved resilience. Researchers will monitor social, economic and environmental changes onfarms over the next 20 to 30 years as part of an ‘independent assessor’ role, but they will alsoseek to help the participating farmers improve the sustainability and resilience of their enterpriseby acting as ‘involved assistors’. This report identifies fundamental approaches and ecologicalprocesses to be researched mainly from an ecological point of view. Subsequent discussionsamongst the whole ARGOS team are likely to adjust the priorities to get the maximumadvantage from our expert sociological, economic, farm management and Maori colleagues.Funded primarily by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) with additional cofunding and logistic support from Fonterra, Zespri International, Certified Organic Kiwifruit growers Association, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu and a meat packing company