Wahine Māori farmer incorporates tikanga Māori in her mahi

Originally published by Māori Television.

Bringing a tikanga Māori perspective to dairy farming, while encouraging more wāhine Māori into the sector - that's the approach of Chevon Horsford, a finalist for the 2021 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year award.

Horsford was one of three finalists for the award and said she was inspired by the way her tipuna managed the land in a sustainable way and believed those principles and techniques could be applied to modern farming, especially on whenua Māori.

"We are really lucky that we have a connection, not just to the whenua, but also we whakapapa to the whenua," she said.

However, Horsford acknowledged that many dairy farms across the country were Pākehā or internationally owned, something she hoped to help change.

Chevon Horsford. Photo / Supplied

"My goal is to be able to have our whanau back into those roles and own their own space if we get the opportunity to do so."