The Federation of Maori Authorities has signed an agreement it hopes will open doors for its sheep and beef farmers.
It signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the country's largest meat processor and exporter Silver Fern Farms in Tauranga this week.
Chief executive of the federation Te Horipo Karaitiana said the joint plan will include developing farm systems through Silver Fern's Farm IQ research initiative.
He said Maori farmers needed a greater return at the farm gate and wanted to learn about what the pathway to the market looks like.
Maori hold about 950,000 hectares of productive rural land - two-thirds of which is in pastures supporting sheep and beef farming.