The global COVID pandemic is accelerating and New Zealand’s borders remain tightly closed. Wharf42 understands the impact that closed borders are creating for agritech businesses in New Zealand, across the Tasman in Australia and in the wider Asia Pacific Rim.
Over the past 4 months, we have expanded our offshore reach. As of today, we are;
- Head of Global Alliances at Agritech New Zealand
- Senior Advisor, Australian Agritech Association
- Member of the evokeAG Steering Committee, (AgriFutures Australia)
- Member of the growAG Steering Committee (AgriFutures Australia)
- Co-founder and member of the Australia New Zealand Agritech Council (ANZLF)
- Member of the AgriFood Tech Singapore Association Establishment Working Group
Over the Christmas & New Year festive break, we have worked to connect these dots. By developing a strong regional Asia Pacific Rim cluster – New Zealand, Australia & Singapore, we are looking at opening up new channels for creating significant opportunities for increased research and commercialisation collaboration.
The question some folk ask is why. It takes us back to our core values.
The global COVID pandemic and closed borders are doing nothing to assist address some of the world’s greatest long-term challenges:
- Feeding 9.6 billion people with nutritious and affordable food by 2050
- Addressing the real and ongoing impact of climate change
- Identifying new ways to farm more productively and more sustainably
- Researching for new forms of alternative protein
We believe that by building scale and creating the opportunity for greater cross-border collaboration, we can collectively begin to tackle some of these major challenges. In Q1 2021, we will be seeking to expand our global network beyond the Asia Pacific Rim. Discussions are already underway with potential partners in North America and Europe. As the opportunity for creating international travel bubbles from New Zealand recede, building global networks from behind closed borders is today our #1 goal.
Whatever the new year might bring, Jacqui and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe and prosperous 2021.
If you want to learn more about the ongoing development of the Wharf42 Insights Programme and other initiatives currently being kept under wraps, please sign up for our free Monthly Newsletter.