Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, June 8, 2023
Fieldays, known to be the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event and the ultimate launch platform for cutting-edge technology and innovation, is set to return to the usual winter dates after Covid disruptions at Mystery Creek next week, from Wednesday, June 14th to Saturday, June 17, 2023 in Hamilton.
A ‘Sustainability Hub’ is one of the fresh new features set to capture attention of audience when Fieldays open for as many as 100,000 visitors that are expected to descent upon the city of Hamilton from more than 75 countries.
Talking about the sustainability as the focal point for this year’s event, New Zealand National Fieldays Society Chief Executive Peter Nation said, “Sustainability is a strong focus for the Society, and it is fantastic to be collaborating with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on the Fieldays Sustainability Hub under the theme- The Time to Act is Now.”
“We have made a strategic decision to use the scale of Fieldays to help educate both visitors and exhibitors so that future generations will benefit from improved sustainability practices for New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.”
Being a collaboration between Fieldays and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), supported by the Ministry for the Environment, the hub will facilitate conversations between visitors, exhibitors, and sector research agencies and feature a select number of sustainability-focused organisations, including Toitū Envirocare, Wilderlab and RiverWatch.
Paula Knaap, General Manager Engagement at the EPA, said that the visitors will be able to explore sustainable farming research and science, urban and rural waste management, as well as water management and renewable energy.
“Embracing initiatives that protect and enhance the environment has a range of benefits, from longevity of land use through to resilience to changing climate conditions” says Ms Knaap. “Not only that, but those who purchase our goods, from multi-national companies to individual consumers, are increasingly demanding evidence that they have been sustainably produced”.
“We want to support farmers, growers, and the consumer on their sustainability journey. By showcasing some of the initiatives underway in Aotearoa New Zealand, we can help everyone see that together we can overcome the enormity of the challenges, with innovation and collaboration.”
Alongside the hub, the Fieldays Sustainability Trail, accessed via the official Fieldays App, will lead visitors to other Fieldays exhibitors who are demonstrating sustainability practices, products, and initiatives.
The Fieldays Sustainability Hub joins the Fieldays Innovation Hub, Fieldays Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub, Fieldays Hauora Taiwhenua Health & Wellbeing Hub, Fieldays Forestry Hub and Fieldays Digital Futures, the latter two were launched in 2022, as key focus areas for visitors to explore during Fieldays.
The new Fieldays Sustainability Hub will be located on site E38, on the corner of M Road and E Street, next to the Village Green.
Talk to an Expert
The Fieldays Sustainability Hub will also offer a unique opportunity to Talk to an Expert, allowing the visitors access to experts on a variety of sustainability subject matters. A number of experts will be available each day for the audience to approach, and ask about their area of knowledge. The scope of subject matter covered will be diverse, but connected to research and experience in sustainability-related subjects.
The expert talks will be hosted on all days, and the details can be accessed on the Fieldays App by the visitors.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
