Sergio Lopes

For Sergio Lopes, returning to Pāmu feels like coming full circle. His connection with the organisation stretches back to December 2005, when he first arrived in New Zealand from the south of Brazil as part of his Agricultural Engineering degree. New Zealand had always been a benchmark for him in farming and pasture management, and he was eager to learn from one of the best pasture-based systems in the world. 

In January 2006, Landcorp became his first employer in the country. Starting as a Dairy Assistant at Pouarua in Ngatea, Sergio began his professional farming journey in New Zealand while also studying and gaining formal qualifications through AgITO. Now, as Beef Finishing Specialist at Rangitāiki Station, Sergio brings together practical experience, technical knowledge, and a deep respect for the land shaped by both te ao Māori and the Gaucho culture of his Brazilian origins. 

Te ao Māori resonates deeply with Sergio's origins and core values. Its holistic and interconnected worldview reflects how he sees his role: not just as a worker, but as part of a wider system that includes people, land, animals, and future generations. 

Whanaungatanga is central to him. Building genuine relationships based on trust and respect creates stronger teams and a more prosperous working environment. Manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga guide how he works. He believes in caring for others and embracing shared responsibility for everything around him: livestock, land, infrastructure, and colleagues. 

Coming from the south of Brazil, Sergio resonates with the values of the Gaucho culture, the farmer who works closely with the land and protects it with responsibility and pride. Rangatiratanga means acting with integrity, accountability, and self-leadership. Taking ownership strengthens both his awareness and his contribution to the team. 

He also values the spiritual dimension of te ao Māori. Recognising mauri and our connection with nature gives purpose to his work. For Sergio, te ao Māori in the workplace means working with respect, care, and a long-term perspective, honouring the land and both the present and future generations. 

Three things stand out for Sergio at Rangitāiki: 

• Working with livestock and pasture. Seeing healthy animals and well-managed pasture performing at their best.
• Problem-solving and decision-making. Adapting to weather, feed demand, and operational challenges.
• Teamwork and shared achievement. Collaborating with others toward common production and sustainability goals. 

He is driven by growth: improving animal performance, pasture quality, and operational efficiency. He enjoys learning, refining systems, and finding better ways to do things. 

In Sergio's workday, farming excellence looks like well-planned grazing rotations, proactive animal health management, tidy infrastructure, accurate record-keeping, and clear respectful communication within the team. It also means acting with responsibility and pride, caring for the land, animals, and equipment as if they were his own, while always looking for opportunities to improve. 

Of Pāmu values, Sergio relates most strongly to Genuine. Being genuine means acting with honesty, integrity, and consistency, the same person on good days and challenging days. In farming, authenticity matters. Animals respond to calm and consistent handling, and teams function best when communication is open and real. 

In his work, this shows through transparent communication, taking responsibility for his actions, and treating people with respect. He believes in giving honest feedback, asking questions when needed, and following through on commitments. Being genuine also means staying grounded, caring for the land and livestock with sincerity and pride, not just because it is a job, but because it reflects who he is and what he values. 

It's hard for Sergio to define one single best moment, because he tries to approach his work with gratitude every day. Both the challenges and the achievements are meaningful to him. Some of the most rewarding moments come after navigating a tough situation, whether managing feed through difficult weather conditions, resolving an animal health issue, or improving a system that wasn't working efficiently. 

At the same time, simple daily wins, healthy livestock, well-managed pasture, smooth team collaboration, also feel significant. For him, the best moments are when he can see progress, resilience, and teamwork coming together. 

At Pāmu, Sergio feels most rewarded through a sense of accomplishment and seeing the results of his work make a tangible difference. Meeting production targets and contributing to the efficiency and performance of Rangitāiki Station gives him real pride. He also values knowing that his efforts contribute to the wider success of Pāmu, helping support sustainable farming practices and the organisation's long-term goals. 

In five years, Sergio sees himself continuing his journey at Pāmu, contributing to projects that have a meaningful impact on results. He wants to be part of initiatives that improve productivity, sustainability, and efficiency, while also supporting the growth and development of the team. 

Sergio Lopes' story bridges continents and cultures, bringing together the Gaucho values of his Brazilian heritage with the principles of te ao Māori in his adopted home. From his first role as a Dairy Assistant in 2006 to now serving as Beef Finishing Specialist at Rangitāiki Station, Sergio demonstrates that farming excellence comes from respect, responsibility, continuous improvement, and genuine care for the land, animals, and people. His return to Pāmu represents not just a career milestone, but the fulfillment of a journey that began nearly two decades ago with a young agricultural engineer eager to learn from the best.