A new podcast series launched by Rabobank is helping to spread the word about Catchment Communities Aotearoa (CCA) and the work they are doing to champion sustainable land and water management.
The new series, hosted by Rabobank Head of Sustainable Business Development Blake Holgate, kicked off in June and can be accessed via the RaboTalk – Growing our future podcast channel.
The Catchment Catch-ups series features discussions with CCA representatives from across New Zealand and provides an avenue for discussion and exploration of the key topics affecting catchment groups.
Mr Holgate said the role, scale, and impact of catchment groups across New Zealand had grown significantly over recent years.
“Catchment groups are now considered a key part of New Zealand farming’s wider eco-system environment and, in 2024, CCA was established to act as the collective voice of catchment groups across the country,” he said.
Blake Holgate, Rabobank Head of Sustainable Business Development
“Off the back of feedback from our Client Council network, Rabobank joined forces with theMinistry for Primary Industries last year to support CCA and the more than 260 catchment groups they represent.”
As part of this new agreement, Mr Holgate said, the bank had maintained close contact with CCA to explore what more could be done showcase their activities.
“These discussions prompted the decision to kick off the new podcast series which involves talking to people at the heart of catchment groups – to hear their stories, understand what’s working on the ground, and share insights that others can learn from,” he said.
“By sharing these stories from around New Zealand, our aim is to bring farmers and communities together to improve land and water quality, biodiversity, and long-term resilience.”
Mr Holgate said the initial episodes in the series had featured Richard Kyte from Thriving Southland, Alexis Wadworth, a director of both CCA and Thriving Southland, and Craig Simpson from Otago Catchment Community.
“The first episode with Richard explored how farmer-led catchment groups are creating practical, locally driven solutions for some of the biggest challenges facing New Zealand farming today,” he said.
“The second with Alex touched on how the Makarewa Headwaters Catchment Group in Southland shifted from a baseline study of water quality to tackling a massive wild pest problem.
“And my recent chat with Craig explored the practical realities of managing long-term landscape changes, and why structural governance, community independence, and targeted coordinator support are essential for sustaining momentum and preventing volunteer burnout.”
“Before we kicked off the Catchment Catch-ups series, we also featured former CCA Chair, Ben Ensor on the RaboTalk – Growing our future podcast, where he provided an overview of CCA’s purpose and objectives.
“We’ve had some encouraging feedback on each of these episodes and we’re confident there is a market for a podcast covering this type of content.”
Mr Holgate said the latest episode of the series was out today and features a chat with Paul Turner from Taranaki Catchment Communities.
“In this fourth episode, I talk to Paul about the work he’s doing with with farmers and rural communities across the region to support local groups, coordinate projects, and turn good intentions into lasting outcomes on the ground,” he said.
“We talk about what the catchment group network looks like in Taranaki, and how they’re tackling challenges around water quality, biodiversity, and community engagement – while sharing stories about the successes that Paul has seen across the catchment.”
The new series will continue over coming months and is accessible via the Rabobank website and via all major podcast apps.