Media Release
10 Sept 2026 

 

AWDT confirms change to planned wind-down

The Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) has confirmed a change to its planned wind-down, with the organisation to complete its remaining programme commitments before moving into a dormant or ‘sleeping’ state.

Earlier this year, AWDT announced it would wind down after 16 years of developing and supporting women across New Zealand’s food and fibre sector. As part of that process, the Board undertook a structured Expression of Interest (EOI) process to explore whether its programmes could continue through other organisations. The process attracted strong interest and demonstrated significant capability across the sector to carry this work forward.  The Board entered the EOI process with no known barriers to transfer, and a genuine desire to find organisations with the expertise, commitment and resources to carry the programmes forward and continue their impact.

Since then, the position has changed materially. AWDT has received a cease-and-desist notice and notice of potential legal proceedings relating to ownership of IP associated with some of its programmes.

The Trust obtained specialist IP legal advice and explored options to enable the affected programmes to be transferred, including seeking a settlement. Those efforts were unsuccessful, and achieving certainty would likely require further legal action and a significant proportion of AWDT’s remaining charitable funds. The Board could not justify using those funds solely to enable the programmes to be transferred at no cost.

The Board has therefore made the difficult decision not to progress the EOI process as originally envisaged.

AWDT Board Co-Chair Keri Johnston says the decision was not the outcome the Board had hoped for.

“We undertook the EOI process because we genuinely wanted to see AWDT’s programmes and their impact continue through organisations with the expertise, commitment and resources to carry them forward. Unfortunately, that has not proved possible.

“Our responsibility now is to protect AWDT’s legacy and ensure its remaining charitable resources are used wisely. Under the circumstances, the Board believes retaining the Trust in a dormant state is the most responsible path forward.”

“Throughout this process, the women taking part in our programmes have remained at the heart of AWDT. Our commitment to providing them with a highquality and valuable experience has not changed,” Ms Johnston says.

Once AWDT’s current programme commitments have been completed, the organisation will cease operating and delivering programmes. The Trust will remain as a legal entity, with its remaining charitable funds used to provide scholarships for women in Aotearoa New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.

“AWDT has always been about what happens when women are given the opportunity, confidence and connections to grow. That impact lives well beyond the organisation itself through the women, businesses, communities and sector that have been part of AWDT over the past 16 years.”

ENDS

Media contact:
Julia Jones, General Manager, AWDT
julia@awdt.org.nz
027 524 8901 

 

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