Progress report for WHI24-001
Project Information
The Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program (SOAP) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH CTAHR) remains committed to conducting annual professional development educational opportunities for agricultural professionals (AG-PRO) in cooperation with WSARE on evidence-based, sustainable agricultural practices. The WSARE PDP program allows us to continue servicing and educating agricultural professionals in advancing sustainable agricultural practices which are in line with WSARE’s goals in advancing stewardship of the island’s natural resources by providing site-specific, sustainable farming and ranching methods that strengthen agricultural competitiveness; satisfies human food and fiber needs, maintain, conserve, enhance the quality and productivity of soil; conserve water, energy, natural resources, and maintain and improve the quality of surface and groundwater. We anticipate providing agricultural professionals and producers with the technologies, skills, and competencies to increase farm productivity and efficiency; safeguard human, farm, biological, and natural resources; reduce unnecessary crop and chemical inputs; and improve the overall quality of life of Hawaii’s farmers and agricultural communities through education, outreach, and applied research.
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Bolster local food security and high-quality food systems through research, education, and extension.
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Promote healthy and resilient regional communities in the Pacific region and beyond.
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Revitalize and reconnect ecosystems and the community to bolster holistic health.
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Build leadership in abundant and flourishing social-ecological systems for sustainable and resilient crop, ornamental plant, and livestock production systems (‘āina momona).
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Increase productivity through scalable and affordable technologies in crop improvement, pest and disease management, and biocultural resource conservation and management.
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Weave multiple knowledge systems for stewardship of natural resources (mālama ‘āina).
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Develop a socially and emotionally fit workforce to serve diverse communities.
The Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program (SOAP) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH CTAHR) remains committed to conducting annual professional development educational opportunities for agricultural professionals (AG-PRO) in cooperation with WSARE on evidence-based, sustainable agricultural practices. A recent assessment conducted by UH CTAHR of around 350 individuals including agricultural professionals who represent organizations such as CTAHR (CES agents/specialists), USDA NRCS, Soil and Water Conservationists, consultants, farmers/ranchers, and other state/federal agencies in Hawaiʻi prioritized four Grand Challenge Initiatives that include 1)Improve the health, well-being, and resilience of regional communities while reducing disparities; 2)Strengthen tropical and Pacific Island agriculture and food systems through sustainable agriculture research and education; 3)Apply indigenous knowledge and modern technologies that support healthy ecosystems and climate change adaptation; and 4)Enhance economic development for an adaptable and resilient community and well-trained workforce. HI WSARE PDP educational initiatives will focus on these Grand Challenge Initiatives for 2024-2026 and expect to reach up to 33 cooperative extension agents and up to 12 Federal/State agency-based participants across the state.
The Hawaii State WSARE Professional Development Program (HI WSARE PDP)’s advisory committee advises the HI WSARE PDP program. The committee is given an annual opportunity to review the grant proposal, and annual report for the Hawaii WSARE PDP program, and their comments are given heavy consideration in pursuing WSARE PDP grant funding and its annual report. HI WSARE PDP advisory members are also integrated into the execution of its annual HI WSARE PDP AG PRO educational conference when feasible and appropriate.
January 2024 - Project start date
February 2024 - Release call for proposal for the Mini-grant Program
May 2024 - Convene a meeting with the advisory committee to review mini-grant proposals
June 2024 - Release funds for mini-grant awardees
October 2024 - Hawaii Ag Pro Annual PDP Meeting
October 2025 - Hawaii Ag Pro Annual PDP Meeting
October 2026 - Hawaii Ag Pro Annual PDP Meeting
November 2026 - Compile final report from the mini-grant projects
December 2026 - Completion of Grant
Advisors
- - Technical Advisor (Educator and Researcher)
- - Technical Advisor (Educator)
- - Technical Advisor (Educator and Researcher)
- - Technical Advisor (Educator)
- - Technical Advisor (Educator)
Education
Hawaii is geographically isolated from the continental US and within the state's counties. This makes it challenging for Ag professionals to access educational opportunities nationwide. Our program increases access to local and national educational opportunities through travel scholarships and program support. We also bring outside topic expertise to the state to provide local ag professionals with vital information to help increase their capacity to promote sustainable agriculture.
The project also provides a statewide annual training to update ag professionals on some of the technological improvements in agriculture to help them stay relevant. The education training offers a day of formal education presented by topic experts, followed by farm visits to expose agriculture professionals to the diversity of agricultural production systems utilized around the state.
The project has also implemented a mini-grant program to help support cross-training and enhance Ag professionals' capacity to promote sustainable agriculture and service their clientele groups.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Provide agricultural professionals and producers with the technologies, skills, and competencies to increase farm productivity and efficiency.
The Hawaii WSARE PDP activities focused on disseminating research-based information to support the top five priority areas identified by Hawaii’s agricultural professionals in the HI WSARE Needs Assessment Survey: 1) Pest Management, 2) Creating Educational Videos, 3) Produce Quality, 4) Web-based Media to Reach Clientele, and 5) Agricultural Technologies such as drones, precision ag, applications, etc. Previous PDP events have focused heavily on edible crop production systems and soil/conservation topics. Minority votes on priority subjects included requests for livestock and technology use in animal production. Focused workshops, field demonstrations, farm tours, PowerPoint/lecture slides, face-to-face interaction, agent sharing, and integration of the latest technology were the top-ranked methods of information delivery for professional development training. Information obtained from the SOAP Needs Assessment helped to formulate our agenda.
Educational programs that allow participants to learn more about evidence-based and localized sustainable and organic practices are vital to our continued success in changing agricultural practices in an island state. One hundred percent of participants indicated that the events helped them learn new skills and also stated a modification in their opinions and attitudes towards the educational topics offered. Covid has also forced a shift in how training and services are provided, which has led to an increased virtual or digital platform for disseminating educational information.
In 2024, we held our AgPro event in Maui and co-hosted an agricultural resource fair on Molokai to provide additional resources to an underserved community.
The Hawaii WSARE team continuously participates in various conferences and conventions throughout the year as exhibitors to engage stakeholders in the role WSARE plays and the grant opportunities that are available to them to support their operations.
Provide educational opportunities to participants in remote locations.
Due to the global pandemic caused by Covid-19, many in-person educational opportunities were canceled or postponed. Output techniques were modified for remote or virtual workshops and demonstrations to adapt to these challenges. Many platforms are available for the virtual dissemination of information. One of the more common platforms for visual education is Zoom. This platform allows for remote access across a state separated by the ocean while still allowing for the transfer of information. The project uses this platform to conduct educational workshops instead of in-person events, reaching a broader clientele base. The project is also working on a digital database of crop production information for both Ag professionals and growers to help improve access to geographically specific information.
Participants indicated that this platform was appropriate for the topics being presented. Participants also suggested that the information learned through Zoom directly relates to their clientele and production systems. This platform has also allowed the project to reach clientele groups that may have typically been excluded due to remote geographic locations. The project has been using this platform to conduct educational workshops instead of in-person events. The project is also working on a digital database of crop production information for both Ag professionals and growers to help improve access to geographically specific information.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
Face of SARE
The project team is grateful to SARE/USDA for supporting the limited resources available in Hawaii and making it easy for the team to reach out to a wider range of areas and growers throughout the state.
The SARE logo, publications, and funding sources were/are mentioned in all the events using the project funds.