Thirty one new projects will receive funding worth $4 million over the next two years through the seventh round of Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund.
This year’s projects will create a greater understanding of how the science system can support the economic, social and cultural development of Māori organisations.
They span a wide range of topics including traditional Māori healing, testing for kauri dieback, and evaluation of tools for communicating scientific data to communities for customary fisheries management
Dr Max Kennedy, Manager Contestable Investment at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said that unlocking the science and innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources and people will have significant benefits for New Zealand.
Valuable Knowledge
“Māori have valuable knowledge to help solve our country’s unique problems. Investment into Māori knowledge and resources, and building a better understanding of Māori values creates resilient communities.”
The Fund focusses on the development of skilled people and organisations conducting research which supports the four Vision Mātauranga themes (a) Indigenous Innovation: Contributing to Economic Growth through Distinctive R&D (b) Taiao: Achieving Environmental Sustainability through Iwi and Hapū Relationships with land (c) Hauora/Oranga: Improving Health and Social Wellbeing (d) Mātauranga: Exploring Indigenous Knowledge.
Funding Process
Funding is available through two schemes, the Connect Scheme and the Placement Scheme. Both schemes aim to improve connections between Mātauranga Māori and the science and innovation system.
“We are proud to have invested $21.7 million in over 178 projects since the Fund started. Building a body of research that supports Māori economic, social and cultural development is crucial to enable advances in wellbeing for Māori and for New Zealand as a whole,” Dr Kennedy said.
Source: MBIE
