The collective is making sure Mid Canterbury farmers in different catchment groups get practical and workable knowledge about land and water matters affecting them.
It will help unite communities, facilitate networking and learning opportunities and encourage farmer-to-farmer engagement.
Collective co-ordinator Angela Cushnie said the group was a way for farmers and landowners to be involved and engaged in land management regulation and find practical solutions.
It was an idea that had been in planning since 2018 and already had support, she said.
Members of the Hekeao Hinds Lowlands, the Hekeao Hinds Hill Country and the Foothills catchment groups had joined and Ms Cushnie was hopeful more would follow.
The group put farmers at the centre of information and became a hub of knowledge shared among the catchment groups.
"Collaboration, knowledge sharing and partnership opportunities will bring more cohesion to the overall vision of our region," she said.
The group would help integrate sustainable environmental, social, cultural, economic and recreational principles into communities to achieve best practice land and water stewardship by its members for the benefit of present and future generations.
Late last year it became an incorporated society and a committee was formed.
At its head is chairman Duncan Barr, backed by committee members Garry Brown, Jeanette Maxwell, Phill Everest, Willy Leferink, Chris Gibbs, Will Wright, Greg Low and George Davidson.
Jake Jarman is an advisory member.
Ms Cushnie said the collective was formed to support catchment groups and encourage a greater cohesion between stakeholders across the region.
In March, the group received seed funding through the Ashburton Water Zone Committee and it was awaiting the outcome of a proposal with the Ministry for Primary Industries Essential Freshwater Fund.
Because of the combined group, Mid Canterbury farmers would no longer have to work through the myriad of land and water issues on their own, but would have the support of the collective and its catchment-by-catchment approach to intergenerational land and water stewardship for the district.
The district had about 16 potential catchments between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers, and ranging from mountains to the sea. Each had its own issues and needs.
