May 4, 2022 (Maui Now)—A two-day workshop about how to plant, harvest and process ʻawa into a drink will take place at the Maui Botanical Gardens this weekend. The workshop occurs Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday, May 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
January 18, 2021 (West Hawaii Today)—Kamehameha Schools has launched Mahi‘ai Scale-up, an agricultural business plan competition that helps established local farms and food system organizations grow their businesses. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and The Kohala Center are partnering with Kamehameha Schools to provide participants with business training and wraparound services.
December 3, 2020 (Hawai‘i Public Radio)—This pandemic has turned lots of people’s attention down to earth. Newfound gardeners have emerged and there has been a run on seeds, soil and all things related to growing food at home. Today we talk about seeds; taking stock of the state of seeds and learning about groups in our community who are producing seed to sell and grow.
October 11, 2020 (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)—When COVID-19 shut down the state, industry groups and leaders sought strength in numbers as they desperately looked for ways to ride out the pandemic.
The need to pool resources became even more acute as spring slipped into summer, and as we now enter fall. Clearly, the pandemic is not going to be a short-term bump in the road.
October 11, 2020 (Honolulu Civil Beat)—I’ve been thinking a lot about food lately, and I’m pretty sure that you have been too. The pandemic has shown us how quickly everything can change and reminded us of the risks of having all of our eggs in one basket.
I’ve been watching prices rise at my local supermarket. I’ve been witnessing climate changes and disruptions in global supply chains. I’ve been thinking about the fact that 90% of Hawaii’s food comes from outside of the islands and wondering how much longer that system will survive.
June 25, 2020 (Big Island Video News)—Kamehameha Schools and the Ulupono Initiative have awarded $50,000 to the winners of the MahiX open innovation challenge.
February 8, 2020 (Hawaii Tribune-Herald)—Kamehameha Schools and The Kohala Center announced Mana ‘Olena as the winner of the Mahi‘ai Match-Up business plan competition at a Farm-to-Table Celebration on Friday night. Mana ‘Olena will receive a $10,000 cash prize donated by Ulupono Initiative, waived rent for five years on KS land in Hilo, and wrap-around business support services from The Kohala Center.
August 12, 2019 (BigIslandNow.com)—The vast majority of food consumed in Hawai‘i is grown elsewhere—a paradigm Kamehameha Schools (KS) and The Kohala Center (TKC) are aiming to alter.
KS and TKC have long sought farmers with whom to partner in an effort to increase local food production, as nearly 90% of the state’s food is imported. On Monday, Aug. 12, 2019, KS and TKC launched Mahi‘ai a Ola, a campaign to support local farmers, agricultural education and solutions to improve food security, according to a KS press release.
May 21, 2019 (BigIslandNow.com)—Hilo (population 45,648) has the priciest groceries of any American city. Hawai‘i is known for having a high cost of living, but with such a great climate for agriculture, why don’t we produce enough food to affordably sustain our population?
February 4, 2019 (West Hawaii Today)—How do you get into business, get financing, scale up your product, expand? How do you get help? Rather than providing generic answers to those questions, it seems a better idea to direct you to the sources — those people who can help you navigate the terrain of business development and provide specific answers to the questions relative to your particular situation.