A new Helen Clark Foundation discussion paper says agri-tech could revive rural New Zealand communities or hollow them out further, depending on decisions made now.

Senior researcher Sarah Bell says the paper draws on interviews across the primary sector, from farmers to funders. One of the recommendations is a living knowledge bank to preserve farmer expertise.

“None of this technology would work without the knowledge of farmers,” she says.

“You could give me the tech, and I wouldn’t be able to deliver what farmers can deliver.”

The 43-page paper also outlines suggestions for an open data platform and a farmer-in-residence programme.

“One of the things that really surprised me during the research process was how much appetite there was for the government to be doing more in this space.”

Read the full report here.

CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.