Farming faces a time of major change in the external expectations about how land managers run their businesses. In response, farmers want to understand better and respond to the environmental challenges they are experiencing on their farms. Despite regulatory uncertainty, many are keen to access and interpret new, relevant science.

Thriving Southland is a community-led, cross-sectoral group of farmers established in December 2020 with a vision to create a prosperous Southland, healthy people, healthy environment from the mountains to the sea. 

Pragmatica recently prepared a case study on the work of Thriving Southland, built out of an evaluation of the programme completed that year. The difference that makes a difference: How Thriving Southland supports good farming practice through Catchment Groups can be found here.