New Zealand's largest farming corporation says it is passing on its expertise to iwi taking over its farms via Treaty of Waitangi settlements.
Tribes are sometimes offered Landcorp farms as part of the compensation package, as has been the case with some Hauraki iwi.
Traci Houpapa. Photo: Landcorp
Landcorp chairperson Traci Houpapa says it sees this as an opportunity to support Maori farmers and to build its relationships with tangata whenua farming interests.
Ms Houpapa says Landcorp's farm management and technology systems are being applied in merging partnerships with post-settlement claimant groups.
As an example, she cites the Pouarua dairy farm. She said it is the largest dairy operation on the Hauraki Plains, which the Crown gave 12 iwi in the rohe $53 million to buy the farm from Landcorp.
Pouarua has been iwi-owned by Ngati Maru, Ngati Paoa, Ngati Tamatera, Ngati Tara Tokanui and Te Patukirikiri since 2013.
Ms Houpapa says it is also working with a tribal farming venture in Northland.