With a diverse range of microclimates, deep soils, and year-round growing conditions, we can grow and produce more food here in Hawai‘i. The Kohala Center, through its school garden, seed saving, farmer training, and rural business development programs, is working to increase demand for fresh, local food and support the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and food producers.
Our Food Programs:
Farmer Training
With the number of farms in Hawai‘i and the United States declining while the average of farmers is increasing, inspiring and training a new generation of food producers is essential to Hawai‘i’s long-term food security. The Kohala Center’s Beginning Farmer-Rancher Development Program is training new farming families on Hawai‘i Island, and its Sustainable Agriculture Internship Program is inspiring island youth to consider careers in agriculture.
School Learning Gardens
School gardens improve children’s academic performance in a wide spectrum of subjects, providing students with exciting and dynamic learning environments. They also promote healthy behaviors and nutrition, encourage cooperation and teamwork, and give children pride in their work and the food they grow. The Kohala Center’s Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network supports school garden programs on Hawai‘i Island and across the islands through technical assistance, professional development programs, advocacy, and mini-grants, and connects Hawai‘i’s keiki to real food, healthier eating habits, and the ‘āina itself.
Seeds
The Kohala Center’s Hawai‘i Public Seed Initiative works with communities, farmers, and gardeners across the islands to select, grow, harvest, store, and improve seed varieties that thrive in Hawai‘i. The program offers workshops, organizes seed exchanges, assists in the design and development of variety trials, and opens public seed libraries in an effort to revive the art and science of seed saving as well as to improve, increase, and promote biodiversity.
Business Consulting
The Kohala Center’s Rural and Cooperative Business Development Services program works to expand and strengthen Hawai‘i’s rural economies and food systems by providing cooperative and business development services to farmers, value-added producers, and small businesses. The program works to build an ‘āina-based economy by increasing local food production, expanding distribution channels for agricultural producers, creating jobs, stabilizing energy costs, and improving health and prosperity in Hawai‘i’s rural communities by offering technical assistance, consulting services, and microloans to agricultural and cooperative businesses.