Growing Kai Under Increasing Dry

A rolling symposium on drought, climate change and primary sector resilience.

What is a rolling symposium? Three short background webinars, bringing you the latest in climate projections, drought resilience research and land-use science, culminating in an all-day event to generate evidence-based conversation around future drought policy.

• Webinar One, 11 May: Drought and the changing climate: What does the future look like for farmers and growers? >>Watch video
• Webinar Two, 18 May: Drought and the changing climate: Farm profits and community resilience >>Watch video
• Webinar Three, 25 May: Drought and the changing climate: What to grow and where? >>Watch video
• Symposium, 31 May: Growing Kai Under Increasing Dry

Over the past few years, the Deep South Challenge, Resilience Challenge and Our Land and Water National Science Challenges, along with several other NZ funded science programmes, have funded research projects that focus on drought and its impacts.

How is the changing climate, in particular drought, going to impact our primary sector and rural communities?

Growing Kai Under Increasing Dry will bring together the research with farmers/growers and policymakers to better understand how Aotearoa’s farmers growers and community in general can adapt to the ‘new normal’ that is a changing climate. By bringing together the latest in climate modelling and adaptation research with the policymakers and farmers and growers this hui will ask how we can continue to grow and adapt for the future.

With three webinars covering the background of the issue in the lead up to the symposium we are hoping that the event itself will create a platform for discussion and an uncovering of a new understanding of not only the risks but the potential solutions to ensure that Aotearoa is prepared and resilient in the face of the changes that are coming.

A recent ministerial briefing noted that: “The capacity of communities to plan for and respond to adverse events plays a part in shaping the resilience within rural communities and helps determine the type of support they may need in recovery.”

Just what that support looks like and how it is determined will all be part of the discussion. Come and join us in person or online to be part of this future focused conversation.

A programme for the all-day symposium event will be available shortly.

• Please note: The venue has a limited capacity and is following strict contact tracing protocols – all attendees must be registered.
• Registration for all of our webinars and the face to face symposium is free.
• The symposium will be catered.
• The symposium will also be live streamed for those that cannot attend in person.