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.
August 3, 2020 (Honolulu Magazine)—There is Love Lies Bleeding and there is Love in a Mist. There is Rainbow x Seminole Squash and Lady Finger Okra. There is Karinata Kale, thought to have been domesticated 6,000 years ago. There is ashwagandha, used for more than 3,000 years in India as a medicinal plant and today touted as a stress reliever. There is love and sustenance and medicine to be cultivated from the Hawai‘i Seed Growers Network’s marketplace of “local seeds for local needs.”
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.
March 1, 2020 (Maui Now)—About 50 residents/farmers gathered for the inaugural Ho‘opili Nā Mahiʻai (Farmers Gathering) at the Lanikeha Community Center on Molokaʻi earlier this month.
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 30, 2019 (Honolulu Magazine)—Beef stew with ‘ulu, chicken burgers made from scratch and classic kālua pork with cabbage: These dishes sound like they came off the menus of local neighborhood restaurants. Instead, they’re winning students’ hearts (and stomachs) at Mililani High School, thanks to an ambitious initiative called the ‘Aina Pono: Farm to School Program.
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?
March 11, 2019 (Hawai‘i Public Radio)—It’s been more than ten months since a lava flow devastated parts of lower Puna on Hawaiʻi Island. More than 700 structures were lost, and the event disrupted other parts of life for many residents. And that includes small businesses in the area – which are now getting some help from a unique combination of organizations.