Recently, the Hawai’i Office of Planning in conjunction with the state Department of Agriculture released the Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy. Its objectives are to increase demand for locally grown foods, increase supply of locally grown foods and
Recently, the Hawai’i Office of Planning in conjunction with the state Department of Agriculture released the Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy.
Its objectives are to increase demand for locally grown foods, increase supply of locally grown foods and provide policy and organizational support to meet food self-sufficiency needs.
According to the report, the potential economic impact of food import replacement is significant.
About 85 to 90 percent of Hawai‘i’s food is currently imported.
Replacing just 10 percent of the food we currently import would amount to approximately $313 million a year for Hawai‘i’s economy, between additional sales, earnings, state tax revenues and jobs created.
Other potential benefits include conserving energy, reducing transportation costs and our carbon footprint, minimizing introduction of harmful invasive pests, and promoting healthier lifestyles and good nutrition.
On Kaua‘i today, there are approximately 136,000 acres of agriculturally zoned land.
Although a significant amount is being used for pasture, the best available data suggests that we are producing fruit and vegetable crops on fewer than 5,000 acres.
What this means is that Kaua‘i is well positioned to increase local food production.
Kaua‘i farmers still face many challenges including new mandates from the federal government regarding food safety, as well as new environmental regulations, competition from global food producers and high input costs, maintaining plantation era irrigation systems, a limited infrastructure for food processing, challenges with obtaining long term leases and an aging population of farmers.
All this can be daunting, but there are also many opportunities.
Growth of farmers markets and more interest in local products have benefited farmers.
Efforts are underway to maintain and update aging irrigation systems and make more land and water available at reasonable rates.
Kaua‘i is at the forefront of the state in its implementation of Important Ag Lands.
The Kaua‘i Grown program helps identify local farm products and promote them to consumers.
Projects are being initiated to build more chill and process facilities for local meat, establish a commercial kitchen incubator and support development of local food hubs.
This enthusiasm for promoting agriculture on Kaua‘i is encouraging to see.
The question I’m often asked is, “What comes first?”
The answer may be that these initiatives need to be done simultaneously: Increase demand, increase production and put policies forward that encourage more farming activity to take place.
While there is much work to be done on the supply side to increase production, this report also emphasizes the critical role the consumer plays in the demand side of the equation.
Imagine if Kaua‘i residents and visitors spent 10 percent more of your hard-earned dollars on local farm products each week.
You’ve now done your part to help move Kaua‘i food self-sufficiency forward.
Here are some ways you can translate this goal into action:
• Shop at local farmers markets and talk to local farmers. A recent study showed people are 10 times more likely to start up a conversation at a farmers market than in other shopping environments.
• Ask for what’s fresh, local and Kaua‘i Grown when shopping and dining out. Let your retailers and chefs know that you support and will buy these products.
• Visit www.kauaigrown.org to meet farmers and ranchers, discover new local products and what’s fresh and local in your area.
• Plan menus around what’s available, fresh and in season. The added benefit? It’s usually healthier.
• Grow your own garden. No matter what the result, it will teach you an appreciation for those who farm for a living.
• Encourage your kids to know where food comes from. We need more ways to connect keiki with their food source and support for programs like Future Farmers of America, school gardens, Ag Awareness Day and Farm to Preschool.
• Support policies that promote agriculture and a farm friendly community. Being a small minority of the population, farmers need your support for incentives, investment and other policies to stimulate and support agriculture.
While the food sustainability strategy focuses on local food production, we recognize that there are other types of agriculture that do and will take place within this system.
For instance on Kaua‘i we also are also growing tropical flowers, seeds, energy crops and tree crops – and these farmers too help agriculture move forward.
It will take all of us, working together to create a vibrant and successful agricultural sector here on Kaua‘i.
The Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau works with all farmers of various sizes, different commodities, and farming practices to help promote agriculture and improve the life of the farmer. We encourage you to join us in that effort.
Visit www.kauaicountyfarmbureau.org for more information on the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau and our programs.
Visit www.hawaii.gov/hdoa/planning to read the Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy in its entirety.
