The Federation of Maori Authorities (FoMA) says if tangata whenua take up an agribusiness career, they can bargain for a salary better than the minimum wage.
This week, the Government announced an increase in the minimum wage to $14.25 an hour.
FoMA chairperson Traci Houpapa says the 50c increase means little to people on lower incomes, including Maori and Pasifika.
She says her organisation is designing agribusiness employment pathways with Lincoln University and Te Whare Wananga o Aotearoa.
Ms Houpapa says the tertiary programmes will provide Maori with qualifications that will enable them to negotiate a better wage rate for themselves.
