Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Trusts put young Maori back on the land

Updated at 6:39 am on 12 February 2013

A combined vision by the owners of five blocks of Maori owned land in south Taranaki, to see young people with no farming skills trained so they can take up farming as a career, has taken the first step to becoming a reality.

On Monday, eight young people from all over Taranaki sat down in a classroom in Hawera, for the start of both written and practical instruction in all aspects of dairying.

The course is being run by the Landbased Training Centre in collaboration with Te Rua o Te Moko which owns a large dairy farm in Taranaki.

Director Doug Brooks, who is also a trustee for one of the five blocks of land, said Maori land owners want to create more than just wealth for themselves.

He said they want to get as many young people as possible back on the land which will provide benefits in the future to all whanau in the rohe.

Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand