Under the spotlight this week is SDG #8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth. This is a goal that is not focused solely on economics, but is focused on people, planet and profit in what it seeks to achieve. We take a look at what SDG #8 is all about, how it relates to New Zealand agriculture, and highlight some key insights into where our food and fibre exports are going.
What is SDG #8 about?
SDG #8 seeks to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Targets for SDG #8 cover a range of areas including:
- Sustaining per capita economic growth,
- Achieving higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation,
- Improving global resource efficiency in consumption and production, and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation,
- Achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including young people and people with disabilities,
- Equal pay for work of equal value,
- Substantially reducing the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training,
- Eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery, and human trafficking,
- Protecting labour rights, and promote safe and secure working environments.
While the targets of SDG #8 cover a wide range of areas to work on, it is very clear that the emphasis for achieving SDG #8 is based on a premise of considering people, planet and profit. Economic growth with always be focused on the economics, however SDG #8 shows that ensuring that the people who enable that economic growth are getting a fair deal, opportunities, and good working environments is a key way that aspirations for decent work and economic growth should be achieved.
The common themes in SDG #8 and its targets also flow into other goals such as:
- Achieving employment opportunities for all people, as well as equal pay for work of equal value links to SDG #10 – Reduced Inequalities, as well as SDG #5 – Gender Equality,
- Improving resource efficiency while continuing economic growth ties well with SDG #12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, as well as SDG #13 – Climate Action; and
- Ensuring employment and safe work environments also work towards SDGs #1, #2 and # 3 – reducing poverty and hunger, and increasing health and wellbeing.
SDG #8 is therefore more than simply about growth of the economy, but about the growth of people, businesses, opportunities, wellbeing, equality, and more.
Why is SDG #8 important for agriculture?
We are well aware in New Zealand that agriculture, and the wider Food and Fibre sector, is a critical contributor to our economy due to the export revenue which it provides. In terms of the economic growth focus of SDG #8, we know that a thriving food and fibre sector has positive benefits for the New Zealand economy.
The Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report from June 2025 identified the key contributions that the Food and Fibre sector has to the New Zealand economy.
Export revenue from the Food and Fibre sector was forecast to be $59.9 billion in the year to 30 June 2025, which is a 7% increase on the previous year. This was attributed to:
- $27.01 billion from dairy exports,
- $12.31 billion from meat and wool,
- $6.25 billion from forestry,
- $8.45 billion from horticulture,
- $2.18 billion from seafood,
- $340 million from arable, and
- $3.38 billion from processed food and other food products.
In the year to 31 March 2025, food and fibre exports accounted for 82.5% of New Zealands goods exports. MPI state that over the past 10 years, goods exports from the food and fibre sector have increased by an average of 4.8% a year, compared to 1.8% for other merchandise exports (MPI, 2025).
In the year to March 2023, 360,000 people were employed by the food and fibre sector – 12.4% of New Zealands work force.
This shows the importance of the sector as providing employment in New Zealand, which is another important part of SDG #8. Decent work is of great importance to the sector, not only to retain those within it, but to attract new people of all ages and walks of life to have a career based in agriculture or other industries in the wider food and fibre sector.
In the year to 31 March 2023, food and fibre sector accounted for 10% of New Zealands Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Note: this figure only accounts for direct contribution to GDP, and includes both production and processing.
Where are our exports going?
Overall our primary industry exports show that the China is the biggest export revenue market (31%), followed by the United States (12%), Australia (8%) and the European Union (7%) (MPI, 2025).
When broken into sectors, it is clear that dairy export revenue is largely attributed to the Chinese market, making up a significant proportion (35%) compared to other countries. Meat and wool shows the United States (28%), closely followed by China (24%) as the main export revenue markets (MPI, 2025)
Dairy
In the year to 30 June 2025, dairy export revenue is expected to increase by 16% to a record $27 billion. The previous year saw an 11% drop in revenue, so this shows a strong recovery of the market. Higher prices and strong global demand for dairy products has led to this increase (MPI, 2025)
Dairy export revenue is attributed to:
- Whole milk powder (31%)
- Butter, anhydrous milk fat, and cream (20%)
- Cheese (12%)
- Casein and protein products (11%)
- Skim milk and butter milk powder (9%)
- Infant formula (8%)
- Other dairy products (9%)
China is the main market for all dairy exports except casein and protein products where the United States is the main market, followed by China (MPI, 2025)
Milk production is expected to increase by 2.2%, compared to 0.6% in the previous season.
Meat and wool
In the year to 30 June 2025, meat and wool export revenue is expected to increase by 8% to $12.3 billion. This is being driven by higher export prices, as well as higher export volumes of some meat and wool products. This revenue is expected to grow further into next season due to improving demand and global beef exports (MPI, 2025)
Meat and wool export revenue is attributed to:
- Beef and Veal (39%)
- Lamb (28%)
- Mutton (4%)
- Wool (4%)
- Venison (2%)
- Other meat (6%)
- Other animal products (17%) – such as fats and oils, carpets, hides and leather).
Key export markets include:
- Beef and veal – 46% of export revenue is from the United States, compared to 20% from China.
- Lamb – 30% of export revenue is from the European Union, followed by China (20%), United States (18%) and the United Kingdom (13%).
- Mutton – 74% of export revenue is from the Chinese market, followed by Taiwan on 8%.
- Wool – 42% of export revenue is from China, followed by the European Union (23%) and India (16%).
- Venison – 38% of export revenue is from the United States, with another 38% also going to the European Union. This is followed by China on 13%.