Eyes on the world: Soil Wealth ICP Study Tour to Aotearoa – New Zealand

In late August, PotatoLink’s Sophia Thach joined a group of Australian vegetable growers and advisors on an enriching study tour to New Zealand, hosted by Vegetables NZ under the Soil Wealth and Integrated CroSophia p Protection (SWICP) project. The tour, centred in the Pukekohe/Waikato region, offered participants an immersive experience in New Zealand’s dynamic horticultural landscape, capped by the Horticulture Conference in Tauranga.

Australia and Aotearoa – New Zealand (NZ) – share many commonalities in their horticultural industries from diverse landscapes, diverse climates, and a strong connection to the land.

The study tour provided the perfect opportunity to explore NZ’s horticultural landscape first-hand, engage with leading potato and vegetable growers, and attend the Horticulture Conference in Tauranga.

Moveable pod insectaries with mixed plant species at the Vegetables NZ demo farm. The purpose of the pods is to provide nectar sources to encourage beneficials and be able to move from crop to crop as required.