Decolonizing Water Stewardship in Wailua Watershed: Indigenous Approaches to Enhancing Food Sovereignty and Environmental Sustainability in Hawaii

Commodities

• Vegetables: taro

Practices

• Crop Production: water management
• Education and Training: extension, participatory research
• Sustainable Communities: community planning, food access and security, food sovereignty, local and regional food systems, other

In Hawaiian culture, water holds a central role in agricultural development and environmental preservation. However, the unsustainable practices of the extractive plantation economy, coupled with recent land grabs by wealthy stakeholders, and the expansion of tourism resorts, have led to fragmented watershed management and conflicting interests that undermine effective governance. Thus, this research aims to explore the power dynamics of water stewardship in the Wailua watershed, Kauai, Hawaii, by addressing the following questions:

• What are the power dynamics among various water stakeholders in the Wailua Watershed, and how do these dynamics influence decision-making and resource distribution?
• How can indigenous agricultural practices and ecological knowledge be integrated into watershed management to promote sustainability and resilience in the Wailua Watershed?
• What alternative water governance strategies can be developed to address current disparities, enhance sustainability, and support food sovereignty in the Wailua Watershed?

To address these questions, the project utilizes GIS modeling to visualize power dynamics in water management, incorporates indigenous knowledge into governance strategies, and employs interdisciplinary and mixed-method approaches to analyze the complex interconnections of the water-food-human waste nexus. Outreach efforts include collaboration with interdisciplinary partners such as a local farming NGO (IOW), kalo (taro) producer Adam Asquith, the oral history organization Story for All, and the environmental science institution SEI. These efforts involve conducting participatory workshops with local disadvantaged communities, engaging stakeholders in inclusive governance processes, and co-developing solutions grounded in traditional practices.This project holds significant potential to advance equitable water access, decrease reliance on imported food, and improve waste management practices. By presenting a comprehensive strategy for watershed stewardship, it serves as a replicable model for sustainable water governance and the revitalization of indigenous agricultural practices in other regions confronting post-plantation agricultural development issues.

Restoring water access and management offers a transformative opportunity to address interconnected challenges. By validating traditional agricultural practices and laying the groundwork for sustainable agricultural expansion, cultural renewal, and climate resilience, this initiative aims to create a sustainable future. The project is planned to commence in July 2025 and conclude in June 2028. The proposed project focuses on these eventual outcomes or overall objectives:

• Sustainable Water and Waste Management: Current waste practices misuse potable water, leading to contamination and soil depletion. Relocating waste treatment facilities and adopting regenerative technologies can repurpose waste for agriculture and restore soil health. This project explores, with Native Hawaiians, solutions for sustainable water and waste management. 
• Climate Resilience: Adapting to changing wind and precipitation patterns requires restoring native vegetation, improving water system efficiency, and implementing strategies to mitigate climate impacts.
• Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Kauai's dependency on imported food is unsustainable. By engaging in this project and developing recommendations alongside researchers, Native Hawaiians can revive traditional farming practices, enhance local food production, and reduce reliance on external supplies.
• Community Stewardship: Reconnecting Native Hawaiians to land stewardship is vital. Integrating cultural practices into water management fosters resilience, equity, and a deeper connection to ancestral traditions.

To achieve these objectives and outcomes, I ask the following research questions: 

• Research Question 1:What are the power dynamics among various water stakeholders in the Wailua Watershed, and how do these dynamics influence decision-making and resource distribution?
• Research Question 2: How can indigenous agricultural practices and ecological knowledge be integrated into watershed management to promote sustainability and resilience in the Wailua Watershed?
• Research Question 3: What alternative water governance strategies can be developed to address current disparities, enhance sustainability, and support food sovereignty in the Wailua Watershed?

To support these research questions, I employ the following educational objectives: 

• Educational Objective 1: Empower Community Participation in Water Quantity and Quality Monitoring using Citizen Science
• Educational Objective 2: Develop and Disseminate Educational Material on Water Management using Focus Groups and Oral Storytelling
• Educational Objective 3: Facilitate Collaborative Governance and Policy Development using Policy Roundtables