Final report for WSP19-029
Project Information
Final Year (1/2023 to 12/2023)
During this reporting period, addressing family and island-wide food insecurity remained a pressing concern after Guam was hit by Super Typhoon Mawar. Key activities during the latter half of this year was to focus on typhoon recovery, rebuilding demonstrations, planning for upcoming program workshops, and promoting the various WSARE grant programs. Guam PDP remained dedicated to collaborate with both existing and new members of our advisory committee. The team continues to seek innovative and non-traditional partnerships to address this critical issue and our team offers a curriculum that can be adapted to meet the evolving needs of our community.
Post COVID (1/2022 to 12/2022)
Hold face-to-face WSARE Advisory Committee needs assessment meeting for Post COVID collaborative partner program plan development. Continue facilitation of the COVID efforts with local government agencies providing meals, to increase utilization of local produce. Addressing island food security through curriculum development and restarting on campus demonstrations of: micro-plot forest gardens, recirculating aquaculture/aquaponics, livestock dry litter, backyard nursery production and various subsistence gardening systems. While still using Zoom as a tool for meetings, face-to-face interactions with partners and clients is again the primary outreach method for program events. Hold multiple on island WSARE grant writing workshops face to face and online workshops for Western Pacific Land Grant partners through the use of Zoom and the WSARE sponsored network of WSARE island liaisons. Meet with leader's in Guam's hospitality industry by including them in the year's WSARE Advisory Committee needs assessment and strategic planning meeting. Secure supplemental WSARE funding for a 64 hour Hawaii Master Food Preserver train the trainer workshop on Guam.
COVID Recovery (1/2021 to 12/2021)
Continued to address island food security in terms of the COVID impacts by facilitating the FCAG's COVID safe curbside bag effort and work with local government agencies providing meals and emergency food supplies in procurement of local produce. In the post-COVID period we were able to start re-engaging with our partners in face to face meetings as well as online (ZOOM). We were able to utilize face to face in our efforts to increase grant submissions by conducting WSARE grant writing workshops in collaboration with partners to address the massive influx of agricultural support needs of our stakeholders. This period also saw the beginning efforts to re-establish connections with the Guam's hospitality industry (the slowest sector or our economy to recover). Post-COVID Guam WSARE Advisory Group was reduced to 2 co-coordinators 4 Ag professional and farm group representatives to facilitate online meetings to address reprogramming for COVID response. These identified food security issues and value of subsistence agriculture systems for and food security as a key topic.
COVID Context (1/2020 to 12/2020): 2020 started following the professional training plan laid out with New and Veteran Farmer farm plan development trainings for Chamorro Land Trust Commission (CLTC) Land Agents with a focus on their assisting their subsistence clients. The plan was to train these seven agents (12 contact hours) then pair with 2 farm families each to go through the 20 hour New and Veteran Farmer trainings, where they would mentor the families in developing and implementing a subsistence farm plan for their agriculture lease. COVID halted and refocused the WSARE PDP team's efforts. Commercial agricultural markets, with the shocks inflicted by the COVID, became the primary focus throughout the rest of the calendar year. One effort under the UOG CE&O Sustainable Agriculture program three faculty mentored, in many one-on-one and small group trainings, the Farmer's Cooperative Association of Guam (FCAG) in all stages of development in establishing and promoting the Curbside Farms' Mixed Produce Bags program. This was conducted in parallel with discussions with Government of Guam agencies that were providing meals and emergency food bags/boxes while buying imported produce for these efforts. The effort was to try to focus at least a portion of these produce purchases on buying local produce. Many meetings were held with different agencies, Department of Public Health and Social Services' Senior Program actively engaged with the effort others are interested.
Pre-COVID: In response to recent findings and events, Guam PDP will work with existing and new advisory committee members to identify and address issues impacting island food security. This period’s topics include but not limited to: subsistence and commercial production systems, soil and water conservation practices, farm planning and development, wholesale and retail market channel entry, permaculture, agroforestry, home, school, and community gardening, food security issues, promotion of government programs, and development and submission of WSARE grants. This project period will see Guam leading efforts to develop a communication networking (using Zoom) of sustainable agricultural professionals, across the American affiliated Western Pacific.
Final Year (1/2023 to 12/2023)
Objective 1.
Addressing island food security through curriculum development and restarting on campus demonstrations of: micro-plot forest gardens, recirculating aquaculture/aquaponics, livestock dry litter, backyard nursery production and various subsistence gardening systems.
After Super Typhoon Mawar, many of our demonstrations have been completely devastated and workshop series schedule has been pushed back. Major work has been done to get the sites re-established for upcoming workshops and tours. In collaboration with the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the team will be developing village-based agroforestry demonstration sites in Inarajan and Yigo. The sites will provide an opportunity for participants to get hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture practices and receive curriculum from the Guam WSARE PDP team.
Objective 2. Re-establish connections with leader's in Guam's hospitality industry by including them in the year's WSARE Advisory Committee need assessment and strategic planning meeting.
Held face-to-face WSARE Advisory Committee needs assessment meeting for collaborative partner program plan development and attended multiple meetings with chef leaders.
Objective 3. Increase Guam WSARE grant submissions.
This was done by holding numerous meetings with faculty and producers on the various WSARE grant programs.
Post COVID (1/2022 to 12/2022)
Objective 1. Continued facilitation the FCAG's COVID efforts with local government agencies providing meals, to increase utilization of local produce. Addressing island food security through curriculum development and restarting on campus demonstrations of: micro-plot forest gardens, recirculating aquaculture/aquaponics, livestock dry litter, backyard nursery production and various subsistence gardening systems. While still using Zoom as a tool for meetings, face-to-face interactions with partners and clients is again the primary outreach method for program events.
Objective 2. Increase grant submissions in collaboration with partners to hold multiple on island WSARE grant writing . This was by holding face-to-face workshop on Guam and online for Western Pacific Land Grant partners through the use of Zoom and the WSARE sponsored network of WSARE liaisons.
Objective 3. Started re-establish connections with leader's in Guam's hospitality industry by including them in the year's WSARE Advisory Committee need assessment and strategic planning meeting. Hold face-to-face WSARE Advisory Committee needs assessment meeting for Post COVID collaborative partner program plan development. Guam Coordinator (Barber) attended the WSARE PDP 2022 meeting held in Cody Wyoming. In November 2022, secured secured supplemental WSARE funding for a 64 hour Hawaii Master Food Preserver train the trainer workshop on Guam.
COVID Recovery (1/2021 to 12/2021)
Objective 1. Restart by facilitating the FCAG's COVID safe curbside bag effort and reengage with local government agencies providing meals to congregate and home-bound clients. Work with the Department of Public Health and Social Services to provide mixed local product bags to over 3,000 of their clients.
Continue to address island food security in terms of the COVID impacts and trainings that address island food security through the promotion of micro-plot forest gardens to reduce spending on food and providing family food diversity. This involves re-starting on campus demonstrations and reestablish the training support infrastructure for train-the-trainer curriculum development and delivery. Reconnect with local and federal agricultural professionals through online and face-to-face meetings and workshops on new additions to the Guam WSARE New Farmer Curriculum.
Objective 2. Increase grant submissions in collaboration with partners to address the massive influx of agricultural information needs by stakeholders. Re-engagement in this initiative with our local and regional partners through zoom but also began having face-to-face meetings and workshops particularly WSARE grant writing workshops
Objective 3. During this period began reconnecting with leaders in the hospitality industry by including them in zoom meeting and grant writing workshop invitations.
Objective 1. COVID (1/2020 to 12/2020): We changed focus to address island food security in terms of the COVID impacts: first a massive surplus of imported produce (shut down of hospitality industry) eliminated many local markets. Then restarting markets and production once this surplus was depleted. Facilitating the FCAG's COVID safe curbside bag effort and work with local government agencies providing meals and emergency food supplies in procurement of local produce.
Pre-COVID One project topical focus will be to address island food security through the promotion of micro-plot forest gardens to reduce spending on food and providing family food diversity. Selected agroforestry practices and micro-plot utilization directly alleviates many of the most pressing constraints reported by our regions farmers: poor rocky soils, lack of weed control, sloping land, and limited time/labor, equipment, and capital. Agroforestry practices such as mulching, for example, enriches the soil and suppresses weed growth. More importantly, a micro-plot approach addresses time, labor, equipment, and capital limitations by maximizing the productivity of a small plot of land. Increasing the abilities of many families to produce on the lands they have, will stabilize and grow and agricultural production community. Timeline for this objective will be ongoing throughout the program. Monthly trainings will be held with Guam Agricultural Professionals & WSARE Pacific Island liaisons to address this objective.
Objective 2. COVID (1/2020 to 12/2020): Increase grant submissions in collaboration with partners to address the massive influx of agricultural information needs by stakeholders. The PDP team, in collaboration with DOAG and SSWCD submitted two grants in peri-urban agroforestry: "Guam Urban Agroforestry Materials Collaboration Assistance Network" and "Guam Urban Agriculture/Aquaculture Methods and Innovative Production". The team also partnered with the FCAG, CLTC, DOAG, and COM to submit a WSARE Research to Grass Roots grant "Information Network for Sustainable Pacific Islands Research and Education".
Pre-COVID Plan: Increase WSARE grant submissions by 2020 double 2018’s submissions from Guam, CNMI, and COM. Through the WSARE Pacific Island liaisons network trainings will be conducted throughout the region to increase promotion of WSARE programs. The project will increase the participants’ awareness of the regional, economic, social, and environmental implications of adopting sustainable agriculture practices and systems. It will also have a direct economic impact on the islands’ WSARE education/outreach by increasing the amount of WSARE grants submitted from the region. During this period, grant proposals will have been prepared and reviewed for upcoming 2019 submission. Annual grant writing workshops will be held on Guam in Summer 2019.
Objective 3. COVID (1/2020 to 12/2020): COVID initially completely halted the Western Pacific Hospitality industry's business activity and meetings and then later in the year only slowly reopened primarily with restaurant curbside pickup. So this objective's activities were limited to advisory to Farmers' Cooperative Association of Guam (FCAG) in setting up Tuesday night Food Truck take out at Flea Market site's parking area in the last months of the Calendar year.
Pre-COVID Plan: Guam PDP will explore the potential of new collaborations between farmers and chefs on other islands to continue efforts and transfer knowledge of the Farmer-Chef program to the region. This objective will be ongoing throughout the program.
Final Year (1/2023 to 12/2023)
In the wake of the impacts of Super Typhoon Mawar on Guam, addressing family and island-wide food insecurity remains a pressing concern. In light of recent findings and the challenges brought, Guam PDP is dedicated to collaborating with both existing and new members of our advisory committee and recognize the importance of engaging discussions with key stakeholders in the agriculture sector. A key activity during the latter half of this year was to focus on typhoon recovery, rebuilding demonstrations, and project efforts. The team continues to seek innovative and non-traditional partnerships to address this critical issue and our team offers a curriculum that can be adapted to meet the evolving needs of our community.
COVID Recovery (1/2021 to 12/2021) and Post COVID (1/2022 to 12/2022)
In the COVID Recovery through Post COVID period we worked to address issues brought on or modified by the COVID context that related to our programs long term objectives. We were able to see a gradual return our initial program plan over this period. We continued to address island food security by collaborating with farmer groups to work with, local government agencies providing meals and emergency food supplies, in procurement of local produce. We used multiple venues and partners to deliver WSARE grant writing workshops to facilitate the preparation of many successful WSARE grant applications that support needs of our stakeholders on Guam, and online workshops for Western Pacific Land Grant partners through the use of Zoom and the WSARE sponsored network of WSARE island liaisons. Restarted the fact to face WSARE Advisory Committee needs assessment meeting for Post COVID collaborative partner program plan development. Refocused on island food security through curriculum development and restarting on campus demonstrations of: micro-plot forest gardens, recirculating aquaculture/aquaponics, livestock dry litter, backyard nursery production and various subsistence gardening systems. Meet with leader's in Guam's hospitality industry by including them in the year's WSARE Advisory Committee needs assessment and strategic planning meeting. Secured supplemental WSARE funding for a 64 hour Hawaii Master Food Preserver train the trainer workshop on Guam.
COVID Period (January 2020 - December 2020)
The year started off as planned but in the first month COVID hit and the whole UOG Sustainable Agriculture and Cooperative Extension & Outreach activities had to reassess and realign to address the new challenges. In this the WSARE State Coordinators Pacific Island grant's activities was spot on in its orientation to zoom meetings and outreach the skills and infrastructure put in place by this project allowed Guam Sustainable Agriculture to immediately switch to meetings through zoom. The activities timeline of WSARE PDP program for 2020 calendar year follow:
Timeline
January to March (2020) - WSARE PDP trainings of Chamorro Land Trust Commission's Agricultural Land Agents and Americorps Volunteers. Started new on-campus agroforestry demonstration plot for hands on use in trainings. Partnered with Guahan Sustainable Culture (March 7, 2020) to deliver a Saturday morning workshop on Backyard Egg Production on Dry Deep Litter. This training utilized the WSARE funded House 2 Backyard Layer Demonstration and the demonstration's 20 - hen, chicken tractors.
COVID impacts start in late February in full force by end of March. Student and other program workers shortened hours, on campus demonstrations mothballed.
April to June (2020) - Worked (near weekly meetings) with the Lt. Governor's office to engage institutional purchases and food banks to use local produce. Developed concept and mentored FCAG in starting Curbside Bag produce sales. The PDP team, in collaboration with DOAG and SSWCD submitted two grants in peri-urban agroforestry: "Guam Urban Agroforestry Materials Collaboration Assistance Network" and "Guam Urban Agriculture/Aquaculture Methods and Innovative Production". The team also partnered with the FCAG, CLTC, DOAG, and COM to submit a WSARE Research to Grass Roots grant "Information Network for Sustainable Pacific Islands Research and Education". Made 2 videos on home gardening and chicken tractors for at home food production for UOG COVID emergency worker fundraising effort.
July to September (2020) - Facilitated and led FCAG in their efforts with DPHSS Senior Division to provide produce bags to the 2000+ seniors in congruent meals and home meals program. Facilitate SWCD in Grant submission. Conducted a 2-hour virtual workshop for dorm RA’s and students in sustainable agricultural practices and crop production. Conducted site assessment and provided technical supports. Continued meetings with Governor's cabinet members to engage FCAG with government agency produce procurement.
October to December (2020) - Facilitate FCAG efforts to expand local mixed produce bag sales. Submit PDP information outreach grant to support DoAG forestry and Southern SWCD efforts. Restarted on campus backyard aquaponics (tilapia and Chinese water spinach), demonstration. Established an additional on-campus agroforestry demonstration site in anticipation of future outdoor workshops. This plot was heavily sheet mulched to minimize student labor.
Advisors
- (Educator and Researcher)
Education
Final Year (1/2023 to 12/2023)
Objective 1.
Work was done to on re-establish the WSARE Guam PDP demonstration sites after Super Typhoon Mawar. Program staff have worked on clearing downed trees, re-planting, mulching, and repairing plant nursery and aquaculture/livestock demonstrations.
June 24, 2023. Papaya Cultivation Workshop. With many gardens and farms devastated by Typhoon Mawar, papaya is one tree that will grow and produce fruit quickly. Workshop participants learned from Dr. Robert Bevacqua and Mark Acosta about the best varieties of papaya for Guam and sustainable soil and water conservation practices like mulch and comopost. Rynette Perez also informed participants on the nutritional value of this local fruit. 30 participants attended.
October 7, 2023. Soil Health Workshop. In collaboration with the Southern Guam Soil and Water Conservation District and the Inarajan Mayor's Office, this workshop taught participants the importance of soil health, the importance in agricultural production, and how to take soil samples. Dr. Gollabi, UOG Soil Scientist was the primary presenter.
Multiple meetings with partners to plan upcoming sustainable agriculture workshop series in Inarajan and Yigo. This series will take place in the villages and will establish an agroforestry demonstration site using recommended sustainable practices. These demonstrations will be leveraged with the Renewable Resources Extension Act funds.
Objective 2.
February 23, 2023- Guam Master Food Preserver Program Outreach. A keynote presentation was conducted during the American Culinary Federation meeting in collaboration with the Guam Community College Culinary Arts Program. The Guam Master Food Preserver Program was presented Presentation topics included the program overview and curriculum, certification requirements, and brief slides on each of the preservation methods. A total of 19 members attended which consisted of chef's, wholesalers, Guam Department of Education Pro-Start Director, and culinary students.
Objective 3.
Numerous meetings and one-to-one communication has been done to increase WSARE grant submissions. This reporting period focused on Ag professionals submitting grants.
Mark Acosta attended the 2023 WSARE PDP meeting in Waikoloa, Hawaii and was selected to speak at the WSARE Building Partnerships for Agricultural Sustainability Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. The title of the presentation was "Collaborative Partnerships in Isolated Island Communities".
Bob Barber reviewed 10 Farmer/Rancher grants in preparation for the 2024 review panel that he attended in Pheonix, Arizona.
Post COVID (1/2022 to 12/2022)
Objective 1.
April 30, 2022-Tropical Food Forests for Home and Community Gardens Workshop, Inarajan Mayor’s Office. Topics included Agroforestry, Fruit Tree/Vegetable Garden Rings, Sheet Mulching, and Drip Irrigation. Several extension publications disseminated. A community garden was established with participants and partners from SWCD, DoAg, and NRCS. A total of 29 participants attended.
June 17, 2022- National Association of Conservation Districts Conference Farm Tour. Local and federal representatives from NACD, SSWCD, NRCS, FSA, DoAg, and UOG along with local producers toured the WSARE cooperator agroforestry plot observing slope cultivation and conservation practices that address high erosion potential and exclusion fencing for feral animals such as pig, deer, and dogs. A total of 18 participants attended.
July 15, 2022- Government of Guam High school Summer Work Program. In collaboration with Senator Sabina Perez, A tour was conducted on sustainable agricultural practices implemented at the on-campus demonstration plot in particular, agroforestry. Information on applicable soil and water conservation practices and onsite fruit trees and truck crops were disseminated through handouts and discussion. A total of 40 participants attended.
August 9, 2022- Hot Pepper and Eggplant Workshop. In collaboration with Dr. Mari (WPTRC) and John Borja (DoAg/ADS), conducted a “Local Cultivar Workshop: ‘Ideal’ eggplant and ‘Guåfi’ hot pepper”. This workshop introduced and disseminated two local cultivars, ‘Ideal’ eggplant and ‘Guåfi’ hot peppers. To increase island sustainability, seed and seedling distribution of these local cultivars will be promoted through non-profit and government organizations (DoAg) to support our local farmers and gardeners. A total of 13 participants attended.
Objective 2.
June 6, 2022: WSARE Farmer-Rancher Grant Writing Workshop, UOG, SBDC. This workshop was coordinated in collaboration with Farm to Table, UOG-SBDC, Department of Agriculture, USDA-NRCS, and USDA-FSA. A total of 23 participants attended.
June 14, 2022: WSARE Farmer-Rancher Grant Writing Workshop, Farmer’s Coop, Dededo. A total of 27 participants attended.
June 21, 2022: Conducted a Zoom webinar on the WSARE Professional Producer Grant for project collaborators. A total of 15 participants attended.
June 2022. Conducted a face-to-face presentation on WSARE the Professional Producer grant at Palau Community College. 7 participants attended.
Objective 3. June 13, 2022: Guam WSARE Local Advisory Council Needs Assessment meeting. Focus group identified needs of agricultural professionals, NGO’s, and producers. The assessment will be used to guide the upcoming activities of the Guam WSARE-PDP program. 5 advisory council members attended.
December 14-17, 19-22, 2022- Master Food Preservers Training. A 64-hour training was led by Ken Love and Jane Tai from the Hawaii Master Food Preservers. The program consisted of 8 days of instruction, discussion, and hands-on activities on safely preserving fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. Training topics included food safety and knife skills, jam, jelly, and preserves, canning low-acid foods, high pressure canning, pickling and fermentation, dehydration, and freezing. In order to receive certification, participants were required to pass the oral presentation and final examination. A group of six have been certified as master food preservers and four were certified as master food preserver trainers.
COVID Recovery (1/2021 to 12/2021)
Objective 1.
February 8, 2021 Presented "Sustainable Agriculture Resources" at the Guam Department of Education Librarian’s Symposium. The focus of the presentation was to teach participants how to navigate the UOG, WSARE, ATTRA, and Agroforestry.org websites. The goal was to enable participants to find and use sustainable agriculture resources. 37 particpants attended.
In November 2021 workshops were held for 7 CLTC Land Agents, trainings were each 2 hours with ½ hands on activities, on Tuesday and Thursday late afternoons. Topics: CLTC Rules and levels of agricultural production Working demo tour; Farm Plan Components; Agricultural Production/Environmental Plan & Issues in Production Monitoring; Conducting a CLTC Agricultural farm inspection & production monitoring; Resources for CLTC Ag program development.
Objective 2.
In Fall 2021, 2 online workshops were held and one on one sessions were held with earlier workshop participants to support their submission efforts. Four of the applicants from these workshop and one on one sessions were successful in receiving WSARE funding.
Objective 3. During this period began reconnecting with leaders in the hospitality industry by including them in zoom meeting and grant writing workshop invitations.
COVID (4/2020 to 12/2020) - For all three program objectives activities were modified.
Objective 1. Two UOG/ANR faculty conducted one-on-one site visits with dorm director and a Zoom workshop for the UOG dormitory students and staff in sustainable agriculture practices to assist them in establishing a student garden. As we drastically cut back our demonstration and nursery activities at house 2, many of the plants were given to the dormitory garden.
In preparation for post-COVID workshops, a new demonstration site was established utilizing many of the plants in the sustainable Ag nursery. This area was heavily sheet mulched to minimize student labor during the COVID period. It is currently growing and is ready for agroforestry outdoor workshops when once again permitted.
House 2 aquaponic system was restarted with tilapia and kangkong (chinese water spinach) in anticipation for outdoor workshops being permitted in 2021.
Under the UOG CE&O Sustainable Agriculture program three faculty mentored, in many one-on-one and small group trainings, the Farmer's Cooperative Association of Guamj in all stages of development in establishing and promoting the Curbside Farms' Mixed Produce Bags program. Literally hundreds of CE&O faculty hours were invested in launching and later expanding this program.
In parallel with the Sustainable led zoom meetings/discussions with Government of Guam agencies that were providing meals (senior and school lunch programs for example) and emergency care packages all while buying imported produce for these efforts. The effort was to try to focus at least a portion of these produce purchases on buying local produce. Many zoom meetings were held between March and August 2020. Impact from this in 2020 was the Guam Department of Health and Social Services Senior program was open to this idea. They saw the popularity of the large weekly mixed produce bags and implemented a $21,000 contract with FCAG to provide every senior, in their home based and congregate meals program, a $8 mixed produce bag over a six-week period as well, an impressive programmatic spinoff.
Objective 2. Held several zoom meetings with farmer's groups and local organizations/agencies on SARE grants. Impact on this effort was limited.
Objective 3. COVID initially completely halted the Western Pacific Hospitality industry's business activity and meetings and then later in the year only slowly reopened primarily with restaurant curbside pickup. This objective's activities were limited to one-on-one technical support to the Farmers' Cooperative Association of Guam (FCAG) leadership in setting up Tuesday night Food Truck take out at Flea Market site's parking area in the last months of the Calendar year.
Pre COVID (1/2020 to 3/2020) - Guam PDP has an underlying theme of soil and water conservation practices throughout the program. WSARE demonstration sites and plant nursery continued to serve as a model for hands-on trainings through a workshop series delivery mode. These demonstrations served to provide plant material and incentives for participants and partners of the program. The program began the year by adapting New and Veteran Farmer Curriculum for use by Outreach/Education Professionals that do not have agricultural backgrounds, the agricultural land agents of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission. These professionals were trained in use of this curriculum for use in their subsistence farm lease program, particularly in their family/land resource assessment and the development of realistic farm and environmental plans for each lease. The plan was to then pair each agricultural land agent with two of their lease families in a hands on farm planning and soil and water conservation workshop series with the goal of developing a plan for each family. The land agent training was completed between January and March, but then COVID hit before the workshop series with farm families could begin.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Train Land Agents with no formal agriculture background basics of assisting subsistence farm families in resource and constraint identification and development of a basic subsistence farm plan.
Twelve contact hours of training on values identification, family resources (labor, financial, equipment) documentation, and land resources and constraints, and a basic subsistence farm plan template. These sessions also included hands on training in key soil and water conservations and plant propagation techniques.
In November 2021 workshops were held for 7 CLTC Land Agents, trainings were each 2 hours with ½ hands on activities, on Tuesday and Thursday late afternoons. Topics: CLTC Rules and levels of agricultural production Working demo tour; Farm Plan Components; Agricultural Production/Environmental Plan & Issues in Production Monitoring; Conducting a CLTC Agricultural farm inspection & production monitoring; Resources for CLTC Ag program development.
The Land Agents were ready for phase II of the training were they would each pair up with two farm families to go through the training but after every 2 hour session spend 1-2 hours with each family on planning homework before the next session. This will give them hands on experience working with client families. COVID stopped the Phase II of training series, planned to start up again in late 2021.
The Curbside Farms initiative is an emergency relief program for small-scale local farmers to produce, package, and distribute through curbside pickup, fresh local produce to customers. Customers pay a fixed price for the weekly mixed produce bags. Bags also contained printed materials on other Extension programs to address family needs during emergencies, vegetable and herb planting materials, and guidance on growing the plants.
Under the UOG CE&O Sustainable Agriculture program three faculty mentored, in many one-on-one and small group trainings, the Farmer's Cooperative Association of Guamj in all stages of development in establishing and promoting the Curbside Farms' Mixed Produce Bags program. From scheduling produce deliveries, quality control, cleaning, packaging and distribution. CE&O also provided advisement in COVID protocols to keep up to date with the changing local regulations to insure staff and client safety. Extension's media unit assisted in preparing the initial promotional flyers. Literally hundreds of CE&O faculty hours were invested in launching and later expanding this program.
This was conducted in parallel with discussions with Government of Guam agencies that were providing meals and buying imported produce for these meals. The effort was to try to focus at least a portion of these produce purchases on buying local produce. The Guam Department of Health and Social Services Senior program was open to this. They saw the popularity of the large weekly mixed produce bags and implemented a $21,000 contract with FCAG to provide every senior, in their home based and congregate meals program, a $8 mixed produce bag over a six-week period as well, an impressive programmatic spinoff.
FCAG flyer for dphss week 2The first weekly distribution of Curbside Farms bags was 100 bags in May 2020 and continued weekly selling of 100 or more bags at a minimum of $20 or $25 through December 2020. This $2,000 a week in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic represents gross sales in-excess of $50,000 from this program alone during 2020. The Senior smaller bag programs grossed another $21,000 program for a total of $71,000 gross sales for this emergency program. This program is ongoing and it is hoped will lead to incorporation of local produce in the senior program's meals in the future.
This effort demonstrated to the Government of Guam agencies that the FCAG can handle large contracts (if given 2 months notice) with ease. The Guam Sustainable Agriculture program will continue to work with FCAG in trying to penetrate the purchasing system of local government agencies.
Increase grant submissions in collaboration with partners to address the massive influx of agricultural information needs by stakeholders. Re-engagement in this initiative with our local and regional partners through zoom but also began having face-to-face meetings and workshops particularly WSARE grant-writing workshops.
2021-2022: 7 grant writing workshops
2021: Four participants from these workshops received funded grants
WRGR22-003 - Developing the Economic Sustainability and Viability of Value-added Products on Guam
WPDP22-006 - Information Network for Sustainable Pacific Islands Research and Education (INSPIRE)
2022: Three participants from these workshops received funded grants.
FW23-414 - Local Feeds for Poultry Farming on Guam
WPDP23-016 - Pesticide Safety Education for Pacific Island Educators and Stakeholders
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the food supply chains and essential marketing infrastructure. Disruption at the local level raised concerns about food supply chains, farmer income, food security for consumers, and overall food safety. Guam Sustainable Agriculture Co-Coordinator Bob Barber, and CE&O specialists Jesse Bamba, and Kuan-Ju Chen collaborated with the Farmers' Cooperative Association of Guam (FCAG) to start a curbside program to replace lost market outlets (such as tourism) with existing local customers.
The Curbside Farms initiative is an emergency relief program for small-scale local farmers to produce, package, and distribute fresh local produce in a COVID safe manner to customers. Customers pay a fixed price for the weekly mixed produce bags they they purchased through drive by pickup. Bags also contained printed materials on other Extension programs to address family needs during emergencies, vegetable and herb planting materials, and guidance on growing the plants.
By focusing on the local level produce demand and marketing, Curbside Farms created micro-markets for farmers, increased consumer awareness, and provide a COVID safe supply of fruits and vegetables to island families. The first weekly distribution of Curbside Farms bags was 100 bags in May 2020 and continued weekly selling either $20 or $25 bags through December 2020. This $2,000 a week in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic represents gross sales in-excess of $50,000 from this program alone during 2020.
This program is still ongoing. The popularity of these bags inspired Guam Department of Health and Social Services, Seniors’ Programs to issue a $21,000 contract with FCAG to provide every senior, in their home based and congregate meals program, a $8 mixed produce bag over a six-week period as well, an impressive programmatic spinoff.
Face of SARE
The Guam WSARE PDP program post COVID (March - December 2020) switched to meeting with all our client groups by zoom and outdoor one-on-one advisement. Technical assistance was provided to develop curbside marketing efforts of both produce and meals in a COVID safe manner. Many meeting were held with line agencies through zoom to promote purchase of local produce. The Guam PDP program led and hosted the negotiations between FCAG and DPHSS Senior Division meal program. And then coordinated the produce bag deliveries, the bulk of this through zoom. This inspired the local Southern Soil and Water Conservation District to collaborate with the 8 Islands 12 Trainings effort by funding and installing a Zoom Conference room in the FCAG building to facilitate all the zoom activity.