A Decade of Foodshed Research
Infographic from the Waikato Regional Foodshed Analysis (see below).
Our work over the last decade investigating regional food production and distribution in Aotearoa highlights just how much food is produced, where it goes, and what that means for communities.
Since 2016, we’ve been building a body of work on foodshed and food system analysis across Aotearoa, each project deepening our understanding of how regional food economy's function and where their vulnerabilities and opportunities lie. Our first step was the Otago Food Economy Report (2016), which gave us baseline data and a new methodology to map local production against demand.
From there, the Buller Food Resilience Project (2023) tested whether a relatively isolated community could be self-sufficient in the face of disruption, such as earthquakes. It showed that while Buller produces a surplus of milk and red meat, only 39% of its food needs were grown locally, with major gaps in vegetables, fruit, grains, and eggs. The district lacked processing capacity and diversity and an estimated 99.66% of all food required to feed the population of the Buller district currently comes from outside the district, but the community’s aspirations and willingness to support local food systems highlighted untapped potential for greater resilience.
The Wellington Regional Food System Overview (2024) expanded the lens again, this time combining foodshed analysis with food system surveys and interviews. It confirmed the export focus of the region’s agriculture, with surpluses of dairy and red meat, but also revealed the economic and regulatory barriers that prevent producers from selling locally. Many producers wanted to supply local markets but couldn’t survive financially without national or export demand. The study pointed to supermarkets’ dominance, reliance on imports (particularly pork), and pricing pressures as structural barriers, while also surfacing opportunities in food hubs, mid-scale local enterprises, and stronger collaboration to shift toward a more sustainable and equitable food system.
Most recently, the Waikato Foodshed Analysis (2024) gave a baseline picture of the region’s capacity to feed itself. Waikato produces enormous surpluses of dairy and red meat, but deficits in key foods such as grains, legumes, nuts, aquaculture, and some fruits. Although on balance the region produces enough to match demand, its heavy reliance on exports and lack of diversity limit its resilience. Over time, land use has shifted away from fruit and vegetables toward livestock, even though the region’s climate and land base are well-suited to diversification.
With the right incentives and planning, Waikato has the potential to realign land use to support the vision of healthy, affordable, and locally sourced food.
Together, these studies show how foodshed analysis can uncover the structural imbalances of our food system: export-driven production, gaps in diversity, reliance on imports, and barriers to local supply. But they also highlight real opportunities - community demand, regional strengths, and the chance to build more resilient, equitable, and localised food economies across Aotearoa.
Check out our latest blog post, “Why Aotearoa Can Feed 40 Million People – But Not Its Own,” to learn more about what’s at stake and what we think could change.