The Government is pouring nearly $2.5 million into the Southland economy to support the region, which aims to attract 10,000 more people there by 2025.
Southland Mayoral Forum chairman and Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks said Southland faced a demographic time bomb because of an ageing population but he remained confident the region was up for the challenge.
''Southland has demonstrated in the past that when it pulls together on major projects it is unstoppable. The collective power of the community is very significant.''
The Southland-driven programme was initiated by the mayoral forum two years ago. Nine action teams involving more than 100 volunteers from business, iwi, local government and community backgrounds had contributed.
Three emerging industries - tourism, international education and aquaculture - were to be targeted for significant growth by 2025, Mr Hicks said.
The goals included doubling annual tourism revenue to $1billion. There was potential for a new attraction - Oyster World, in Bluff - and continued work towards the development of the Curio Bay Tumu Toka Natural Heritage Centre.
International student numbers were targeted to increase from 1000 to 3500, 6000 including dependants.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett were in Invercargill for the launch of the plan.
The ministers announced $950,000 support for Southland's aquaculture industry, $510,000 to help strengthen Southland's tourism industry and $520,000 for the region's primary sector.
Mr Joyce, in his role as Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister, also announced $440,000 to be spent on promoting international education and primary skill development in the region.
Mr Joyce said Southland had a relatively small economy reliant on limited types of industry.
While the regional population was growing, for the past 10 years growth had been slower than in the rest of the country.
Southland had laid out a clear and coherent plan to diversify the regional economy, grow the population by 10,000 people by 2025 and strengthen local business, he said.
Mr Guy said although Southland was currently heavily dependent on dairy, sheep and beef farming, key focus areas for the future included aquaculture and other primary industries.
Aquaculture was already an important contributor to the Southland economy and the region had strong aspirations to see the contribution grow sustainably and create more jobs and high-value products.
Of the $950,000 earmarked for aquaculture, $200,000 had already been contributed to scientific surveys identifying potential areas for finfish aquaculture.
An additional $750,000 would be made available to fund the significant amount of further scientific and social research which was required to determine the environmental and cultural suitability of potential sites in Stewart Island.
''Marine farming technologies are advancing and ever more able to create new production and harvesting methods and high value products which will help Southland diversify and reduce any dependence on commodities,'' Mr Guy said.
The tourism package was made up of $250,000 for the Milford Opportunities Project, $80,000 towards a feasibility study for Bluff Oyster World, $130,000 towards development of the Southland Destination strategy and $50,000 for market insights research and development of the Southland story.
As part of the plan to boost Southland's primary sector, Mr Guy announced the Government would contribute a further $220,000 to sustainably increase beef and sheep productivity through a programme to develop the skills and ability of farmers and promote the uptake of improved farming systems and practices.
A particular focus of the programme would be expanding new ventures, such as dairy-beef production and sheep milking.
Any productivity gains in agriculture must be underpinned by reliable long-term access to water. The Government would contribute $300,000 to the development and delivery of Southland's People, Water and Land Strategy to maintain and improve freshwater quality, he said.
Mr Hicks said a concept plan for a ''vibrant and modern'' inner-city Invercargill had been developed, led by an urban designer.
Art galleries had shown to be drivers for inner-city development and a feasibility study was well advanced on an art gallery concept likely to be located near Wachner Place, in Esk St West.
An advisory group work with parties such as Ngai Tahu would encourage change in the Southland business sector as part of a new innovation hub, Inzone.
