The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Role and Functions of MAF

  1. In deciding to establish the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 1997 the Government described the outcome it sought from the agricultural, horticultural and forestry sectors (the sectors) as being:

    2. The best contribution from the land-based sectors to New Zealand’s welfare through sustainable economic growth and environmental quality.

  2. This outcome statement recognises that the sectors are all based on natural resources (land, water, genetic material) and biological production systems, and heavily reliant on international trade for their profitability. The papers on the agricultural, horticultural and forestry sectors describes the contribution that the sectors make to economic activity in New Zealand.
  3. In considering the contribution that MAF can make to the outcomes sought from the sectors, MAF has described its purpose:

    4. To create opportunity for and manage risk to New Zealand and the food, fibre, forestry and associated industries;

    and its roles:

    To provide policy advice on the trading environment, sustainable resource use and the regulation of product safety, biosecurity and related matters;

    To administer the regulation of product safety, biosecurity and related matters;

    To provide services where government needs to be the provider.

Where MAF has come from and its Strategic Direction

  1. MAF has been the subject of almost constant restructuring over the past fifteen years.
  2. The 1st of July 2002 saw the establishment of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) as a semiautonomous body attached to MAF. The NZFSA is an integrated food safety agency bringing together the primary processing and export assurance functions of MAF with the domestic food safety functions of the Ministry of Health (see The New Zealand Food Safety Authority for further details on the make-up and strategy of the NZFSA).
  3. A Biosecurity Strategy for New Zealand is being developed. This Strategy will recognise the expanding scope of the biosecurity risks faced by New Zealand and set an integrated strategy for responding to those risks. The Strategy will acknowledge the current fragmented nature of biosecurity responsibilities within government and may suggest changes to current arrangements. MAF is currently the biggest and most developed biosecurity agency within government.
  4. Past restructuring (some of which has been internally driven) has resulted in:
  • a clear focus on the policy issues facing the sectors;
  • a clear focus on the implementation of policy in the biosecurity, animal welfare and food assurances roles and in particular the development of an internationally recognised centre of excellence in the development and implementation of science based risk analysis and management; and
  • a significant reduction in the role of MAF in the delivery of services with the corporatisation of some services into SOEs, the contracted outsourcing of services and the reliance on "market providers".
  1. Given that the benefits described above have largely been achieved it is timely to refocus on MAF as a whole. Two interlinked initiatives will be pursued in the short to medium term.
  • Firstly, areas of actual and potential co-dependency and synergy across MAF will be identified and pursued to ensure MAF is able to contribute more effectively to the achievement of Government’s outcomes. We will initially look for these areas internally, and then externally within Government and more broadly, to ensure MAF is contributing effectively and to the extent that is fully able to meet whole of government outcomes.
  • Secondly, greater emphasis will be put on the development and enhancement of corporate systems and processes which underpin effective and efficient delivery. These will include improved strategic and financial planning (including prioritisation processes), improved information management processes and a greater emphasis on capability development.
  1. The first step will be the appointment of a Deputy Director-General to take responsibility for Corporate Systems and MAF cross cutting functions.
  2. MAF’s existing medium term strategic goals have been in place for some time. The appointment of a new Chief Executive and the requirement to develop a Statement of Intent for the 2003/04 financial year provide an opportunity to reconsider the Ministry’s goals and objectives. That said, MAF’s key result areas will continue to involve:
  • the economic contribution of the sectors to national wellbeing through trade liberalisation, market access, improved domestic policy interventions, Māori development and strengthened rural communities;
  • the contribution of the sectors to national environmental wellbeing through improved management practices (with respect to matters such as water, land management, pest and weed management, sustainable indigenous forestry and climate change);
  • maintaining and enhancing New Zealand’s biosecurity status; and
  • the provision of world class food safety assurances to New Zealanders and foreign trading partners.
  • MAF’s current strategic goals and the contribution made to their achievement are set out in Appendix A.

 

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Contact for Enquiries

MAF Information Services
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND

Fax: +64 4 894 0721
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