Plantain project working well in Tararua District

Cattle on plantain. Photo / DairyNZ

A research project involving farmers in the Tararua District has been hugely successful, DairyNZ says.

The Plantain Project started in 2019 and is a five-year project, with farmers and organisations working together to improve water quality.

Farmers worked with project partners, scientists, policy-makers and councils to trial the herb as an environmentally friendly dairy forage, DairyNZ solutions and development lead advisor Adam Duker said.

Research by Massey University showed Ecotain plantain could reduce nitrogen leaching by 20 to 60 per cent.

The project in the Tararua District had been hugely successful, with 88 of the area’s dairy farms planting plantain on their properties.

Water quality monitoring had also helped farmers understand where to focus their environmental efforts.

Monitoring showed plantain did not negatively impact the production or quality of pasture, and in many cases, those pastures were out-performing clover and ryegrass pastures.

“In a key strength, the project sees farmers striving to farm in better ways and is highly collaborative,” Duker said.

“The project shares results with farmers at field days and workshops, and with the community, about how Tararua farmers care for their environment.”

The project was formed with a vision of helping farmers run financially viable businesses while reducing their footprint.

It followed new regulations requiring local farmers to reduce nitrogen leaching by an average of 60 per cent.

The programme, funded by DairyNZ, the Government through the Ministry for Primary Industries, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Fonterra, was working with farmers to develop management strategies and demonstrate how plantain could be successfully integrated into farm systems.

The aim was to achieve widespread adoption, with resulting economic and environmental benefits.

The programme was also partnering with farmers in the Waikato, the Bay of Plenty, Canterbury and Southland, and what was learned through the project would be shared with all dairy farmers.

Part of the research would involve determining the effects of different soil and climate conditions so advice could be tailored for local areas.