Photojournalist Ron Vine’s documentation of New Zealand’s agricultural sector and rural economy has been internationally recognised.

The collection of more than 1,400 images has been inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Aotearoa New Zealand Register, with a curated exhibition opening at MOTAT’s Walsh Memorial Library from Monday.

Malcom Duffy, pictorial librarian at the Walsh Memorial Library at MOTAT, says  Vine’s intelligence and belief in the education of farmers to secure their prosperity was recognised by editors very early on.

“ We recognise the value of that to the agricultural community and really want to share that with them,” he says.

The collection captures land development, aerial topdressing trials and crossbreeding as marginal country was brought into pasture.

MOTAT also holds the New Zealand Farmer print run and its photographic collection, which Duffy says is complementary to Vine’s work.

“We consider it very important for our tamariki to know their history and the role of farming and agriculture in New Zealand.”

The collection can be viewed online here.

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