Key concepts in Agribusiness

Growing value

New Zealand agribusinesses need to add value to their products and services by focusing on becoming the smorgasbord of the Southern Hemisphere and not just its food bowl. Growing value looks at the possibility of diversification of products and services specific to agribusinesses and encourages investigation along the whole supply chain for opportunities to increase value. This may not be just a product, it could be an alternative use of land or a service such as developing a brand, delivering excellent service, product features and benefits, and offering convenience. Growing value is about building a platform that will consistently create and capture value for our agribusinesses. It encourages innovation and enterprise. Capturing more value from the product or service is important to agribusinesses to ensure their survival, their global, national or regional importance and growing New Zealand’s economy.  

Future proofing

There are many issues and influences affecting the New Zealand agribusiness sector and its future, such as economic, environmental, political, cultural, social, ethical, technological, biological, scientific and legal. Future proofing is having the foresight to limit impacts from influences within issues, such as climate change, food safety, biosecurity, technology disruptions, concerns over animal welfare, debt, pollution levels, legislation, market changes, or the emerging need to manipulate information from agri-tech-automation and smart data devices. These issues and influences must take priority and it is vital that our young people have an understanding of these challenges on our agribusinesses and how we might look to overcome, predict, prevent, limit, minimise, or correct them in order to make good business decisions to ensure long-term viability.

Sustainability

New Zealand is a country whose wealth depends mainly on the animal and plant products derived from its primary production. Agribusinesses need to have an understanding of the long term effects management practices have not only on the environment but also ethically, culturally, scientifically, technologically, economically, and politically on society. Agribusinesses need to show leadership by example and to contribute to collective decision making that will lead to actions for a sustainable future. Every agribusiness has a responsibility for ensuring our future, by sharing their knowledge, skills, and viewpoints and to generate the fresh thinking needed to solve New Zealand’s challenges and to ensure long-term viability of our industry.

These key concepts are integrated throughout the Agribusiness programme as they are relevant to all achievement standards. 

• Body of knowledge

Last updated December 15, 2017

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