Pā to Plate: Indicators of Success

Pā to Plate (P2P) is an aspirational Māori socio-economic enterprise pilot that was established in 2016 in Tai Tokerau (Northland). Over the past five to six years, Pā to Plate has grown into a novel vehicle that is reinvigorating marae community mahinga kai (garden) ventures.

The convergence of climate change, COVID-19, and systemic poverty amongst Māori has motivated kāinga to become more resilient to external shocks and be inclusive of their descendants no matter where they currently live.

The Pā to Plate specialist growers are also recognised as mātauranga specialists or tohunga in their Māori-framed world of kin alliances and marae accountability. They are successfully contributing to and rebuilding the leadership capacity of their kāinga by modelling gardening practice.

The latest phase of Pā to Plate is focussing on how best to distribute kai and kōrero to those living further afield beyond their kāinga cluster districts. We are focusing on this, as well as maintaining ongoing local kāinga whānau support.

Extending beyond marae/kāinga has thrown up a whole new set of challenges and opportunities to which the team has now begun modelling, drawing on lessons already uncovered through the course of five to six years of intensive mahi, research and pilot implementation.