Statement of Intent
Strategic Direction
- Outcomes, Impacts and Priorities
- Government Outcomes
- MAF’s Role and Intermediate Outcomes
- MAF’s Strategic Priorities
Figure 1 illustrates the linkages between MAF’s operating environment, outputs/services, intermediate and end outcomes and forms the basis for the discussion that follows.
Figure 1: MAF’s Outcome Framework in Context
MAF's strategic focus reflects the ongoing changes in our global and domestic environment. MAF's key strategic areas of focus include:
- economic importance of the primary industries;
- the biosystems that support sectors;
- sustainability as a key environmental, economic and social issue;
- geopolitical and economic changes;
- science as a key ingredient in New Zealand's future prosperity.
In response to these factors, MAF's strategic focus has been changing:
- it has moved clearly into sustainable land management;
- its biosecurity functions are critical to the protection of underlying systems;
- it is heavily involved in critical policy issues;
- it has retained a strong trade focus.
Outcomes, Impacts and Priorities
In July 2007 MAF published a comprehensive outcome performance monitoring framework (Enhancing New Zealand's Natural Advantage: Reporting MAF's Outcomes Performance). For a detailed discussion of MAF's outcomes, associated measures, indicators and recent performance, please find the document at http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/publications/
Government Outcomes
MAF is a sustainable development agency, whose activities cover the economy, environment and people – and the interactions between them. Our role is to deliver policy advice, regulation and services to generate the following end outcomes.
ECONOMY: SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROSPERITY FOR NEW ZEALANDERS
Agriculture, food and forestry are the sectors in which New Zealand has global brands of scale, leading technology, skills and market position. The ability of these sectors to compete in international markets depends on effective trade negotiations and credible assurances of product safety. MAF helps facilitate market access for agriculture, food, forestry and related products alongside several other central government agencies. A well-functioning biosecurity system, led by MAF’s biosecurity arm, protects the primary production sectors and the natural resources on which they are based.
PEOPLE: HEALTHY NEW ZEALANDERS AND A VIBRANT RURAL COMMUNITY
MAF is also working to contribute to the health of New Zealanders and a vibrant rural community. We have a role in protecting human health and wellbeing via our pre-border, border control and post-border pest management activities. The success of the primary industries also relies on a vibrant rural community, and MAF has an important role in ensuring that government policy takes account of the unique challenges faced by agricultural and forestry businesses.
ENVIRONMENT: MAINTAINED AND ENHANCED ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BENEFITS FOR NEW ZEALANDERS FROM THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
MAF is working to maintain and enhance the economic, social and cultural benefits for New Zealanders from the natural environment. MAF co-leads the Environmental Sustainability sub-theme of the Government’s Economic Transformation priority, and we are engaging on issues such as climate change, water quality and allocation, and sustainable land management. Not only is environmental sustainability critical to maintaining the integrity of New Zealand’s productive resources, but a demonstrable commitment to sustainable development and animal welfare standards is increasingly important for market success.
MAF’s Role and Intermediate Outcomes
In our efforts to generate (or contribute to the generation of) the long-term outcomes Government expects from our involvement in the economy, MAF has geared its activities towards several intermediate outcomes. These underlie each of the three long-term expected outcomes.
ECONOMY
In order to support the long-term sustainable growth of the economy, MAF’s activities aim to generate the short- to medium-term (or intermediate) outcomes listed below.
Market access (technical or non-tariff related) for New Zealand's animal and plant products is maintained and enhanced– via the ongoing negotiation of less restrictive or costly market access for New Zealand’s animal and plant products.
New Zealand's reputation for consistent and principled application of international trade, sanitary and phytosanitary rules and regulations is maintained and enhanced – via ensuring that producers and suppliers apply internationally agreed ethical codes, protocols, rules and regulations to animal and plant exports from New Zealand.
A business environment for the agricultural, food and forestry sectors that supports innovation, enterprise and high performance – via implementing fit-for-purpose regulatory compliance frameworks; undertaking and providing current data-mining and statistical analysis of major trends in the economy affecting the future performance and productivity of sectors: providing evidence-based policy advice and facilitating the development of industry in collaboration with other economic development agencies.
Prevention and reduction of harm to economic activity from pests and diseases – via the ongoing development and implementation of the New Zealand Biosecurity Strategy and related activities/initiatives.
Enhanced prosperity for Māori engaged in the agricultural, food and forestry sectors– via providing current data-mining and statistical analysis of major trends in the economy affecting the future performance of sectors by MAF’s Māori Strategy Unit; providing evidence-based policy advice and facilitating the development of industry in collaboration with other economic development agencies.
Effective stewardship of the crown's forestry assets – via the prudent management of the Crown’s remaining forestry and related assets and facilitating the sale of these assets on behalf of the Crown through the actions of MAF’s Crown Forestry group.
PEOPLE
In order to protect the long-term health of New Zealanders and foster a vibrant rural community, MAF’s activities are aimed at generating the intermediate outcomes listed below.
Prevention and reduction of harm to human health and wellbeing from pests and diseases and their management – via ongoing development and implementation of the New Zealand Biosecurity Strategy and related activities.
New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems – via consultation, providing information and promoting participation in MAF’s various regulatory roles to target groups.
Connected and resilient rural communities – via the implementation of Rural Proofing initiatives across central government departments.
ENVIRONMENT
In order to ensure that the long-term sustainability of the economic, social and cultural benefits that New Zealanders enjoy from the environment are maintained and enhanced, MAF’s activities are aimed at the intermediate outcomes listed below.
Sustainable use of resources (and the natural systems on which they are based) by the agricultural, food and forestry sectors – via the development, co-management and implementation of initiatives (for example, the Sustainable Farming Fund and the Dairy and Clean Streams Accord) associated with the sustainable development of sectors and the impact of climate change on the sectors’ future sustainability. The implementation of a carbon Emissions Trading Scheme on behalf of the Government is one such initiative.
Prevention and reduction of harm to the natural environment from pests and diseases – via the ongoing development and implementation of the New Zealand Biosecurity Strategy and related activities.
Prevention and reduction of harm to resources of economic and cultural value to Māori from pests and diseases – via the ongoing development and implementation of the New Zealand Biosecurity Strategy and related activities/initiatives.
MAF’s Strategic Priorities
In 2006, MAF identified three strategic priorities as being areas where we can make critical contributions towards our end outcomes. Each priority links to MAF’s intermediate outcomes and, over time, they are being integrated into business as usual.
Sustainable Development
The sustainable development of our natural and biological resources is essential to ensure today’s prosperity is not at the expense of tomorrow’s. The success of New Zealand’s agricultural, food and forestry sectors is built on protecting and adding value to our natural and biological resources, including fertile soils, plentiful clean water, managing pests and diseases and ensuring the disease-free status of our livestock. Our ability to compete in international markets increasingly depends on a demonstrable commitment to sustainable development, along with robust product assurance and animal welfare policy and practice. Changing social values and consumer demands present opportunities for New Zealand to differentiate itself in the global trading environment.
MAF has positioned itself as a leading sustainable development agency. Our work covers issues of climate change, water allocation, land use and facilitating the primary sectors to deliver on their economic potential now and into the future. We are currently developing a framework that will promote the sectors’ delivery of the benefits of sustainable development. We are also leading the Sustainable Agriculture objective of the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy – for efficient and low-carbon farms, orchards and vineyards. Our biosecurity work is also critical for sustainable development through protecting the natural environment, productive resources and human health from pests and diseases. Our animal welfare role also supports the expectations of New Zealand society for the welfare and humane treatment of animals and supports the development of animal welfare standards that will contribute to international market success.
Intervention Framework
Part of MAF’s role as a government department is to influence the environment, the economy and society to achieve the Government’s outcomes. Our activities and functions (interventions) that aim to influence some aspect of New Zealand’s environment, economy or society include:
• border controls and inspections to keep out harmful pests and diseases;
• grants for sustainable farming projects;
• running and enforcing an Emissions Trading Scheme for forestry;
• investigating and prosecuting cases of animal cruelty;
• setting up the institutional, legal and levy arrangements for industry bodies;
• influencing the direction and funding of science and research relevant to biosecurity, animal welfare, rural affairs, agriculture, horticulture and forestry.
Over the past year, we have made significant changes to the way we design and manage interventions. These include a new approach to compliance, a communications strategy that focuses on changing specific behaviours, a biosecurity decisions framework that incorporates the principles of good regulatory practice, and adopting the new requirements for regulatory impact analyses/statements. Over the next year, we will build on these initiatives and develop an intervention framework for the whole ministry based on the principles of good regulatory practice and sustainable development. The framework will include the following elements:
• aiming to improve New Zealand’s overall economic, environmental and social values;
• clearly defining the problem, the objective and how performance will be measured;
• abiding by New Zealand laws and our international obligations;
• consulting meaningfully with those affected by our interventions and involving stakeholders in decision-making where possible;
• avoiding regulatory interventions where there are alternatives that achieve the objectives with lower compliance costs;
• clearly explaining the reasons for our decisions and what is expected from stakeholders;
• communicating effectively using plain English.
Example: MAF Biosecurity New Zealand's Decisions Project
In 2007 MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) developed a set of good practice processes and principles to support biosecurity decision-making. We have built the new framework into the Biosecurity Response Policy and our National Pest Programmes and are now working on implementing the framework into our processes and decisions about border controls. Although it does not make biosecurity decisions easier or remove the need to make difficult judgement calls, staff who have used the framework say that it provides a structured way to work through difficult issues. We still need to improve our ability to define objectives and criteria for choosing between options as well as improve our ability to prioritise based on agreed characteristics of “importance”.
Technical Rules in Trade
MAF is very involved in trade negotiations that directly affect the performance of our primary sector. New Zealand’s reliance on trade means that managing its benefits and risks is critical for the success of our industries and international reputation. This reputation is currently unrivalled in terms of competence, integrity and leadership in the trade of animal and plant products, and New Zealand is acknowledged as a world leader in quality assurance and inspection systems. New Zealand’s commitment to the work of international bodies and to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade Agreements creates an obligation to focus on minimising unjustified technical trade barriers and ensuring standards are based on scientific principles.
The principal objectives of this strategic priority are:
• a trading environment where unnecessary barriers to trade are minimised, and where bilateral protocols covering trade in animal and plant products adhere to the principles of international agreements;
• a risk-based approach to animal and plant product imports, with a focus on risk and probability rather than hazards and possibility;
• maintenance of the credibility and valuable international reputation of New Zealand authorities.
In dealing with technical rules in trade, MAF works closely with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Critical areas where MAF and the NZFSA are engaged include international standards and other agreed bilateral obligations, enhancing trans-Tasman arrangements, negotiating bilateral market access protocols, maintaining strong links with other relevant New Zealand agencies and maintaining scientific and technical capability.
Contact for Enquiries
Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738
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