The people of Hawai‘i deserve affordable local food, clean water, opportunities to advance their educations, fulfilling careers, a vibrant economy, and healthy communities. The Kohala Center’s ‘āina-based programs strive for a state of pono in Planet Hawai‘i, building a shared community in which citizens realize their potential and care for one another—and the ‘āina itself—in exchange for a meaningful and happy life.
Our People 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.
Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships
The Kohala Center’s Mellon-Hawai‘i Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowship Program supports the work of Native Hawaiian scholars early in their academic careers and others who advance the knowledge of Hawai‘i’s natural and cultural landscapes, history, politics, and society. The program supports the development of kama‘āina (native-born) intellectual leadership to ensure ancestral knowledge continues to have a voice in schools, universities, and research agencies in Hawai‘i and around the world.
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.