In this review we critically examine the current status of industrialised and organic agriculture in New Zealand in relation to carbon-capture and some of the key environmental, economic, and political drivers for change. In the light of the recent international interest in Terra Preta, particular attention is given to indigenous agroecologies, advances in the technology of biocarbon production, and the role of biocarbon in increasing soil carbon sinks. Research gaps are identified and some of the tools and design principles are described for moving from both fossil-fuel dependent industrialised production, and compost-dependent organic production, to biomass based carbon-negative primary production. It is proposed that carbon-negative primary production will play a crucial role in reducing atmospheric carbon-dioxide and will drive the emergence in New Zealand of a post fossil-fuel economy.