Silvopastoral systems can be innovative solutions to agricultural environmental degradation, especially in hilly and mountainous regions. A framework that expresses the holistic nature of silvopastoral systems is required so research directions can be unbiased and informed. This paper presents a novel framework that relates the full range of known silvopastoral outcomes to bio-physical tree attributes, and uses it to generate research priorities for a New Zealand hill country case study. Current research is reviewed and compared for poplar (Populus spp.), the most commonly planted silvopastoral tree in New Zealand hill country, and kānuka (Kunzea spp.), a novel and potentially promising native alternative. The framework highlights the many potential benefits of kānuka, many of which are underappreciated hill country silvopastoral outcomes, and draws attention to the specific outcome research gaps for poplar, despite their widespread use. The framework provides a formalised tool for reviewing and generating research priorities for silvopastoral trees, and provides a clear example of how it can be used to inform research directions in silvopastoral systems, globally.

The Farmer First Research (FFR) programme was established at Massey University in 1991 and ended in 1996. It represented a fundamental shift in how agricultural research priorities were set and implemented. Farmers' needs and circumstances were central to defining research priorities, and the active involvement of farmers was pivotal. In 2012, the New Zealand government invested significantly in the Primary Innovation (PI) project, the aims of which were similar to those of the FFR programme. This paper critically reflects on the FFR programme and highlights lessons to inform the PI project. The authors argue that poor actor engagement and limited broader legitimacy and support have constrained the programme's influence on sustained change in the innovation system that prevailed at the time. Also highlighted is the critical importance of actors and interactions when a programme that seeks institutional and infrastructural change is being established and developed.

‘Tree-pasture’ silvopastoral systems have the potential to become transformative multifunctional landscapes that add both environmental and economic value to pastoral farms. Nevertheless, no published study has found increased pasture production under mature silvopastoral trees in New Zealand hill country. This study takes a novel approach to silvopastoral research in New Zealand, and investigates a genus that has similar bio-physical attributes to other global silvopastoral trees that have been shown to increase pasture production under their canopies, with the aim of finding a silvopastoral genera that can increase pasture production under tree canopies compared to open pasture in New Zealand. This study measures pasture and soil variables in two pasture positions: under individually spaced native kānuka (Kunzea spp.) trees (kānuka pasture) and paired open pasture positions at least 15 m from tree trunks (open pasture) at two sites over two years. There was 107.9% more pasture production in kānuka pasture positions. The soil variables that were significantly greater in kānuka pasture were Olsen-P (+115.7%, p < 0.001), K (+100%, p < 0.001), Mg (+33.33%, p < 0.01), Na (+200%, p < 0.001) and porosity (+8.8%, p < 0.05), and Olsen-P, porosity and K best explained the variation between kānuka pasture and open pasture positions. Volumetric soil moisture was statistically similar in kānuka pasture and open pasture positions. These results are evidence of nutrient transfer by livestock to the tree-pasture environment. Furthermore, as there was a significantly greater porosity and 48.6% more organic matter under the trees, there were likely other processes also contributing to the difference between tree and open pasture environments, such as litterfall. These results show that kānuka has potential to increase pasture production in New Zealand hill country farms and create multifunctional landscapes enhancing both production and environmental outcomes in pastoral farms.

Cattle fattening using Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) as the source or the main component of the cattle’s diets is one of the proven innovations that can provide financial benefit to cattle farmers. The objective of this study is to evaluate the adoption of Leucaena-based cattle fattening and identify the factors contributing to the adoption and diffusion of these improved practices. A mixed method approach was used to understand the adoption of Leucaena and cattle management by local farmers who participated in the early stage (2017) and those who participated in the later stages of the project (2018–2020). The study showed that male Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) that were fed Leucaena-based diets grew two times faster than cattle fattened on grasses. This increased live weight gain and, subsequently, faster sales and increased profits. This may account for the rapid adoption and diffusion of Leucaena-based cattle fattening in Dompu through farmer-to-farmer learning, effective facilitation, demonstration trials, and linking farmers to end markets. To sustain the practice change, the project facilitated the development of an agribusiness support center (ASC). Sustaining the ASC requires further efforts that include internalization of the project outcome into the local government program.

Consumers of red meat products internationally (and in general all food products) have become more demanding and New Zealand’s red meat processing companies are attempting to meet and exceed their downstream customers’ demands. For more than a century the New Zealand red meat industry has operated from a supply base that can be viewed as an adversarial, commodity based, supply market, in which the chain has been driven by supply rather than demand. In an effort to increase efficiency in the production and processing stages of the supply chain and enhance product innovation and quality, improving supplier relationships is one of the key strategies being used by New Zealand’s red meat processing companies. The main aim of the research was to use Supply Chain Management as a theoretical framework to investigate what a New Zealand red meat processing company can do to improve the relationship between themselves and their farmer suppliers. The current state of supply relationships in the 3 dyadic relationships (Supplier-Company, Supplier-Buyer, and Buyer-Company) with regards to the SCM relationship continuum (arms length relationships to vertical integration) was determined, and perception gaps were identified between the various parties. This paper presents the current state of these supply base relationships and preliminary perception gap results.

Silvopastoral systems have great potential for forming multifunctional landscapes that provide a range of economic and environmental benefits to pastoral land. However, pasture production–diversity relationships in silvopastures require further exploration. This study measures how pasture functional group production, pasture species diversity and pasture functional diversity (FD) are impacted by trees in a novel native silvopastoral system in New Zealand hill country with kānuka (Kunzeaspp.). Silvopastoral trees facilitated the growth of fast‐growing competitor functional groups (Lolium perenne, Dactylis glomerataand high fertility annuals:Bromus hordeaceusandCritesion murinum), because of positive impacts on soil fertility, organic matter and porosity. Shannon diversity, species richness and species evenness were significantly less in the more productive pastoral environment under the trees, but functional richness, functional evenness and functional dispersion were similar between kānuka pasture and open pasture. These results show that silvopastures can increase pasture production by promoting the growth of competitive pasture functional groups, and that reduced species diversity under silvopastoral trees does not necessarily impact FD in the context of production. Moreover, species indices overestimated diversity reductions under the trees compared to functional indices. Thus, considering FD in silvopastoral systems is integral for not misinterpreting diversity outcomes.