The Kaua‘i Agricultural Forum will take place this weekend, bringing together agricultural stakeholders to assess current inventories and determine priority strategic goals. Organizers of the free event stress the urgency of expanding the island’s agricultural industry, which will diversify and
The Kaua‘i Agricultural Forum will take place this weekend, bringing together agricultural stakeholders to assess current inventories and determine priority strategic goals.
Organizers of the free event stress the urgency of expanding the island’s agricultural industry, which will diversify and strengthen the economy, create jobs and move the island towards greater sustainability.
A recent study by CTAHR estimated that replacing just 10 percent of Hawai‘i’s food imports would put $313 million into our economy and create 2,300 jobs.
“Perhaps our greatest vulnerability to economic, energy and climate uncertainty is that we currently import around 90 percent of our food, as well as fertilizers, tools, seeds and other necessary inputs,” Keone Kealoha of Malama Kaua‘i, one of the event organizers, said. “We need to begin to relocalize our food systems by immediately supporting the farmers we do have, and then create opportunities for others to make a living feeding our community.”
The event will revisit and update the 1984 and 1998 Agricultural Strategic Plans. Ray Maki, long-time farmer on Kaua‘i and organizer of the event, said this plan will be different from past plans because it does not rely solely upon the government.
“The 1984 conclusions were flawed because they were all government driven. Most of the same problems still exist because government did not take a role in implementing the solutions,” he said. “This time, the agricultural community is coming together in a grassroots initiative to take responsibility for identifying and implementing strategic goals. Although some of the goals with be legislative, the community will be following them through.”
The Forum will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School cafeteria.
Panelists include Jerry Ornelles (Kaua‘i Farm Bureau), Lex Riggle (Natural Resources Conservation Services), Roy Yamakawa (UH Extension Agent), Bobby Farias Jr. (Kaua‘i Ranchers Association), Bill Cowern (Hawaiian Mahogany), Arryl Kaneshiro (Grove Farm), Don Heacock (State Aquatic Biologist and Kaua‘i Organic Agroecosystems), Louisa Wooton (Hawai`i Organic Farmers Association and Kaua‘i Kunana Dairy), and Ian Costa (County of Kaua‘i Planning Department).
On Sunday, a half-day follow-up session will be held at the Lihu‘e Neighborhood Center to distill the conclusions of the prior day’s events. Information will be analyzed and refined and committees will be created around top strategic goals.
According to event organizers, the follow-through process is key. There are web tools that can facilitate the spread of information and organization that did not exist in 1984. The conversation has already begun at KauaiAgriculturalForum.Org, which will act as the “one-stop shop for agricultural planning,” according to Maki. “The many groups in the various sectors of ag can submit their white papers, record their initiatives, and link to their projects. The site will also host the updated plan, so anybody can get up-to-date information.”
For details, visit kauaiagriculturalforum.org, or call Ray Maki at 634-5412 or Andrea Brower at 635-1659.
