International Rural Women’s Day _ Hinehou Timutimu

Hinehou Timutimu is General Manager of Te Tawa Kaiti Lands Trust and the 2026 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year. Her leadership brings together farming, whenua, mātauranga Māori and a strong focus on creating a better future for the generations coming behind her.

1. Your leadership brings together people, whenua, farming and mātauranga Māori. How do those elements influence the decisions you make?

Every decision begins with whakapapa — who we come from, who we stand for, and who we are accountable to. My leadership is shaped by the people I serve and the land I stand on, but also by the global platforms where I now carry our stories.

I carry the shoulders of my pakeke — their expectations, their sacrifices, their hopes — and that guides me to lead with integrity. On farm, that means choosing practices that honour long term wellbeing. In governance, it means bringing people together, listening deeply, and making decisions that strengthen resilience rather than chase short term gains. Our partnerships, both national and international, help amplify our voice, but our values determine the path.

2. You’ve spoken about Dame Whina Cooper as someone who inspired you. What was it about her leadership and legacy that resonated with you, and what can rural women today still learn from her?

Dame Whina showed us that courage and compassion can coexist. She led with conviction, but always with aroha, and she never forgot that her strength came from her people and her whenua.

What resonates most for me is her refusal to accept that rural Māori voices were small. She proved they were powerful enough to shift a nation — and now, rural Māori women are influencing conversations not just at home, but globally.

Her legacy reminds us that leadership is service. It teaches rural women today that we stand on the shoulders of giants, and that our responsibility is to continue their work with humility, strength and unity.

3. You’ve spoken about the health of the land and the health of people being connected. How does that play out in practical farming?

When the whenua is well, our people thrive. You see that in everyday decisions: healthy soils create healthy kai; clean water supports healthy animals; and a farm system that respects natural rhythms reduces stress for the people working it.

At Te Tawa Kaiti, we combine mātauranga Māori with modern tools like solar and Halter to lighten the load on both land and humans. Our partnerships across the rural sector — and now internationally — help us test new ideas while staying true to our values.

Practical farming becomes a wellbeing practice when you treat the land as a living ancestor, not a resource.

4. What would you like the next generation of wāhine entering agriculture to inherit from today’s leaders?

I want them to inherit courage — the courage to lead authentically, challenge old systems, and trust their instincts. I want them to inherit workplaces where their voices are normal, not novel.

I want them to inherit land, communities and organisations that have been cared for, not depleted. And I want them to inherit strong partnerships — locally, nationally and globally — so they can step into agriculture with confidence, pride and a sense of belonging.

If today’s leaders do their job well, the next generation will walk into rooms we never had access to, and they will do so without hesitation.

5. What does being a rural woman mean to you in 2026?

It means carrying responsibility with strength and humility. It means being deeply connected to whenua and whānau, and being part of the engine room that keeps rural New Zealand moving.

It means leading in ways that are collaborative, grounded and future focused. Being a rural woman in 2026 also means having a global presence — sharing our Indigenous knowledge, our farming innovation, and our community led solutions with the world.

Most of all, it means honouring the women who came before us while shaping a better path for those who will follow.

6. What is the one thing you would change for rural women tomorrow if you could?

I would remove the barriers that make rural women’s leadership harder than it needs to be — whether that’s access to resources, recognition, support or visibility.

Rural women carry enormous responsibility, often quietly. If I could change one thing, it would be ensuring they have the same opportunities and investment as anyone else shaping the future of agriculture.

7. What’s your rural superpower, the skill, quality or instinct you rely on most?

My superpower is connection — the ability to bring people together around a shared kaupapa and to make decisions that honour both land and community.

I rely on instinct, especially when it’s grounded in mātauranga Māori, and I’m not afraid to lead with values first. I carry the shoulders of my pakeke and the legacy of those who came before us, and that keeps me steady.

That combination has guided me through governance, farming, partnerships, national engagements and now global platforms. It continues to shape how I serve our people and our whenua.