Lay summary
Nourishing Hawke’s Bay: Pātaka Kai is a community research project that brings the added value of mātauranga Māori and systems science to interventions. Food insecurity is a national issue in New Zealand, however it is often more prevalent in Māori households.
We aim to develop a regional food system map and prioritised action plan. We will map how the food system operating in Hawke’s Bay can be re-oriented towards improved food security, health, social equity and sustainable environments. Informed and led by local community groups, the emphasis is on the blending of Western and Māori knowledge to develop a food system that reconnects whānau to kai and the whenua in a mana-enhancing fashion. Building on NHBs existing community and iwi relationships, mātauranga Māori and tikanga will inform the re-orientation of the existing food system so it better serves whānau food security, hauora, and sustainable environments.