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Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have today unveiled concept plans for a world-class agricultural research and education facility to be sited at Lincoln, near Christchurch.
The Lincoln Hub concept plans and business proposal have been developed by a partnership of Lincoln University, DairyNZ and Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) AgResearch, Plant & Food Research, and Landcare Research.
“The Lincoln Hub has the potential to transform New Zealand’s farming productivity by providing a one-stop shop allowing information and ideas to be shared more easily,” Mr Joyce says. “Internationally, science and innovation parks that collect together public and private organisations in one place drive a lot of education, science and innovation. The Lincoln Hub can achieve this for New Zealand farming.”
“The primary sector remains the powerhouse of the New Zealand economy and the Government has an ambitious goal to double exports from this sector from $30 billion to $60 billion by 2025,” Mr Guy says. The Hub will play a key role in this by bringing together our public research organisations, private sector players, farmers and producers.
The Hub has been made possible as a result of Lincoln’s University’s need to rebuild their science facilities post-earthquake and AgResearch’s decision to invest $100 million upgrading its science facilities around the country - an initiative which was also announced today.
“AgResearch has a comprehensive plan to invest $100 million in its facilities and infrastructure in key agricultural innovation hubs around New Zealand,” Mr Joyce says. “Their investment will be one of the biggest single science investments in New Zealand in decades and it is ideally timed with the development of the new Lincoln Hub.”
“The development of the Lincoln Hub will complement other initiatives designed to increase the expertise in our research community and on the farm,” Mr Guy says.
“Lincoln University’s proposal to rebuild their science facilities post-earthquake presents a great opportunity to integrate with the Hub, maximising the benefits to staff and students, with DairyNZ’s involvement providing a valuable link for businesses.”
The concept behind Lincoln Hub - where world-class educators, research organisations and businesses are physically located together to drive innovation and exports - is a key initiative of the Building Innovation stream of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda.
“Improved linkages between business, education and the research community are critical to achieving stronger growth in New Zealand and the Lincoln Hub can help provide this,” Mr Joyce says. “It’s also an opportunity to further grow the innovation capability in Canterbury, complementing the proposed Innovation Precinct In Christchurch’s CBD.”
“We know that every 1 per cent increase in primary sector productivity generates an extra $4 billion in exports, and that we need to attract our best and brightest into this field. The Hub will be a major step forward in meeting these challenges,” Mr Guy says.
The Lincoln Hub business plan sets out the case for the creation of the Lincoln Hub. It establishes a programme of work to develop a more detailed proposal for consideration by the Government.
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