Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan
The 2010 Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan, prepared for the Hawai‘i County Department of Research and Development, is intended to guide the revitalization of agriculture as a basis for Hawai‘i Island's economic development. The recommendations are focused on measures intended to increase the production of export products as well as food and material for local consumption. The planning process included thirteen community meetings and four meetings that were targeted to the agricultural industry, held during 2008 and 2009. The Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan was submitted to the Hawai‘i County Department of Research and Development in 2010 and approved by the County Council in 2011.
Download The County of Hawai‘i Agriculture
Development Plan (October 2010).
As recommended in the 2010 Agriculture Development Plan, the County of Hawai‘i commissioned research to create the 2012 Hawai‘i County Food Self-Sufficiency Baseline Study.
The Office of Planning (State of Hawai‘i) has released the following three papers that can be accessed here.
1. Increased Food Security and Food Self Sufficiency Strategy
2. A History of Agriculture in Hawai‘i and Technical Reference Document.
3. Assessment of Irrigation Systems in Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan Health Impact Assessment
In April 2010 The Kohala Center received a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to conduct a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of the 2010 Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan. The Health Impact Assessment examined selected agricultural plan recommendations to inform island residents and decision makers about policies and allocate resources that would maximize community well-being, while balancing a complex set of agricultural priorities. Key research project partners included the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, the Center for Health Research, Hawai‘i at Kaiser Permanente, and Human Impact Partners (HIP).
The HIA found that increasing local food production and providing some of that food to our school lunch programs would have a positive economic impact and a number of more direct health benefits—for example shaping children’s preferences for healthy food and making more fresh fruits and vegetables accessible to all island residents, noting that increased consumption of produce is linked to lower rates of obesity and associated chronic diseases. The report also cites research linking the employment resulting from expanded agricultural production to better family health outcomes, while home production provides additional benefits of more physical activity and improved mental health.
An Executive Summary and Full Report of the Health Impact Assessment of the Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan can be downloaded here:
» read the Executive Summary
» read the full report
For information about the health impact assessment process, see the Human Impact Partners Web site at http://www.humanimpact.org.
Below are links to background information that informed the Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan process and the Health Impact Assessment:
Health Impact Assessment Training Workbook, June 2010
Frequently Asked Questions about Integrating Health Impact Assessment into Environmental Impact Assessment
Integrating Human Health into Environmental Impact Assessment: An Unrealized Opportunity for Environmental Health and Justice
University of Hawai‘i System Report on the Feasibility of Establishing a Farm to School Program in Hawaii's Public Schools
Hawai‘i State Department of Agriculture 2007 Action Plan Update, which was submitted to the 2008 Legislature.
Economic Impacts of Increasing Hawai‘i’s Food
Self-Sufficiency
by PingSun Leung and Matthew Loke, 2008
Hawaii County Food Self Sufficiency Baseline 2012
by Jeff Melrose, Donna Delparte, Nick Turner
Island of Hawai‘i Food System Project
Rocky Mountain Institute, 2007
Inshipment Trend and Its Implications on Hawaii's Food Security
Hawaii Department of Agriculture, 2007
A Comparison of Agricultural Input Prices: Hawai‘i vs. Its Major Export Competitors
Hazel Parcon, Shawn Arita, Matthew Loke, and PingSun Leung