Food resilience (Te Kai)
Food resilience (Te Kai) focuses on creating a low-carbon, sustainable and resilient regional food system in Northland, while fostering community and tangata whenua well-being and connection.
In a region that can grow abundant kai, we import a lot of food. We can improve our resilience and our economy by growing a wider range of food here and making it available through local distribution networks.
Community groups are leading change through projects that challenge centralised systems, promote conscious consumers, and teach younger generations horticulture and ancestral gardening traditions. There’s a strong resurgence of traditional māra kai, honouring ancestors and revitalising mātauranga (Māori knowledge) and tikanga (customs), while strengthening community with good, local food.
We support projects that grow local food systems and create economic opportunities. Projects that connect stakeholders to amplify kai resilience, deliver stronger food sovereignty, lower carbon emissions, and less reliance on fragile supply chains.
Āteanui Limited
Peruperu Rawa
A kaupapa Māori-led approach to kai resilience, revitalising once thriving food growing practices, with the vision for Kaikohe, Ngāwha and the Hokianga to again be flourishing in mahinga kai, building resilience to the changing climate and creating a local peruperu economy in Te Taitokerau.
Moana Timoko, Te Ringa Manaaki – Project Co-Lead, at the peruperu mahinga kai.
ōNuku Aotearoa
Toihuarangi “Regenerative Orchards”
The Toihuarangi Regenerative Orchards programme is part of ŌNuku Aotearoa’s social enterprise, Nukurei Nursery that will generate the revenue to support an expanding network of local food systems and orchards.
ōNuku Aotearoa wānanga in Whirinaki.
Tree Born Forests
Food Forest “Seed Blocks” for communities
Through the establishment of intensive, biodiverse food forest ‘seed blocks’ that focus on syntropic agriculture and climate resilience, workshops, training and mentoring will empower communities to grow their own food while restoring ecological function.
Wholey Health Village Market food forest installation and workshop.
Maungatūroto Residents Association
Edible Village Project
Promoting intergenerational learning, the project fosters a culture of local action and provides a foundation for long-term community resilience and adaptation. It deepens local food resilience through events, workshops, resilience mapping, and storytelling, transforming public spaces into food-producing areas for community benefit.
Climate Change Taitokerau Trust
Food Web (Stage 2 Kai Strategy)
Stage 2 of work on a Northland food system that brings together stakeholders to create an inclusive plan, addressing challenges, leveraging opportunities and driving action towards a regenerative food system for Te Taitokerau.
Te Kura o Ōmanaia
Te toitūtanga kai ki Ōmanaia
A movement to restore food sovereignty and sustainability in Te Taitokerau by revitalising traditional Māori food practices. Using mātauranga Māori and intergenerational knowledge sharing to help whānau, hapū, and communities become self-sufficient and climate-resilient.
Whakaora Kai Food Rescue
Kai connections, sustainability and resilience
Development of a Stakeholder Activation Plan to raise awareness of the organisation’s work on kai resilience and GHG emissions reduction to further participation in this mahi.
Climate Change Taitokerau Northland Trust
Kai Sovereignty Strategy
Interviewing key food system stakeholders, intending to mobilise this community to collectively drive the development of a regional kai sovereignty strategy fundamental for transformational change.
Repairing Our Food Web report on accelerating the transition from industrial food systems to regenerative food systems in Te Taitokerau.
Hokianga Community Educational Trust
He Kete Kai o Hokianga - Future Proofing our Hokianga Food Systems
Strengthening a kai resilience network in South Hokianga across Waimamaku, Opononi, Whirinaki and Rawene.
Whanau participating in a workshop teaching sustainable food practices and how to mulch to retain soil moisture to withstand drought.
Te Paatu ki Kauhanga Trust Board
Kāmehameha
The Kauhanga Maara Project was established to support community food security, climate resilience and the revitalisation of mātauranga Māori by developing a maara on ancestral whenua. Promotion of sustainable food practices through workshops combining mātauranga Māori, organic methods and indigenous resilient species.
The project generated strong intergenerational participation, reinforcing the importance of whanaungatanga and community-led resilience.
Matatina Marae Trust
Matatina Kai Whenua
Establishment of the huarākau māra and facilitation of educational experience and strategies for utilising the whenua to provide kai resilience for the wider community.
Maungarongo Whenua Trust on behalf of Ricco Tito
Taiao Kaitiaki Oranga ō te Waīma
Trial model of food production and distribution within a community utilising local indigenous knowledge.
Te Maire Whanau Trust
Whānau-Led Fruit Orchard Development
Establishment of a fruit orchard on whenua to support the hau kāinga and to complement the construction of neighbouring marae build to enhance community's food sovereignty by diversifying sources of kai.