Creating educational opportunities via Train-the-Trainer Geodesic Domes Schools

Commodities

• Vegetables: eggplant, sweet potatoes, taro

Practices

• Education and Training: networking
• Farm Business Management: community-supported agriculture
• Sustainable Communities: food access and security

Agriculture in tropical regions like Hawaii and Guam faces significant challenges, including extreme wind and rain events, heat, humidity, and high dependence on imported food. Traditional solutions such as high tunnels often exacerbate these conditions resulting in crop and oftentimes structural failures. Geodesic domes offer a durable alternative, providing enhanced resilience, better airflow, and protection against extreme weather, making them well-suited for tropical climates. However, the complexity, availability, and expense dome kits limit widespread adoption.

This project, led by Jeff Edwards, University of Wyoming, addresses all these issues through a “train-the-trainer” model designed to increase local capacity for geodesic dome construction and sustainable agriculture. The program offers participants hands-on training in dome construction, raised-bed installation, irrigation, and integrated pest management. Participants will be equipped with the skills to lead dome-building workshops in their communities, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and creating a ripple effect of knowledge transfer.

Interest in geodesic domes grew after a January 2024 American Pacific Island Team meeting, where Edwards presented on pest management in enclosed spaces. Participants from Hawaii and Guam saw the potential for domes to support local agriculture. This interest led to further collaboration, with educators and local non-profits (Guam Farm-to-Table), engaging in the project. Edwards has been conducting dome schools as season extenders in Wyoming since 2018. His goal is to work with locals to modify domes for year-round production in tropical environments.

The goal of this grant is to increase food security and improve agricultural sustainability by training local trainers/educators who can independently lead dome-building schools. These domes will provide increased opportunities for production and serve as educational hubs for sustainable agriculture practices, ultimately enhancing community resilience to climate challenges. The project will establish a replicable model that can be applied across the Pacific Islands and other regions facing similar agricultural challenges.

See it.

• Objective: By July 2025, increase the knowledge of up to 6 cooperators/trainees from the Pacific Islands in the SARE Western Region on the practical applications and benefits of geodesic domes.
  • Specific: Participants will attend a tour/workshop in Southeastern Wyoming to observe operational domes.
  • Measurable: Knowledge will be assessed through participant feedback and the identification of at least one opportunity to conduct a dome-building school.
  • Achievable: The tour/workshop will cover all participant costs, and trainees will be expected to list six potential participants for future training sessions.
  • Relevant: The objective aligns with the goal of expanding sustainable agricultural practices through geodesic dome construction.
  • Time-bound: Completed by July 2025.

Learn it.

• Objective: By December 2025, enhance the technical skills of 3 cooperators/trainees/trainers to replicate geodesic dome construction in the Pacific Islands.
  • Specific: Three hands-on dome-building schools will be held across the Hawaiian and Pacific Island territories.
  • Measurable: Success will be measured by each trainee’s ability to construct a dome and identify a location to lead a Trainer dome school.
  • Achievable: The project will provide funding for supplies and travel for all three trainees’ workshops.
  • Relevant: Trainees will be equipped to transfer the skills they gain to their communities.
  • Time-bound: Completed by December 2025.

Teach it.

• Objective: By March 2026, each of the three trainees now trainers, with support from Jeff Edwards, will independently host a dome-building school in their communities.
  • Specific: Trainers will lead dome schools for their communities, with guidance from Jeff Edwards.
  • Measurable: Trainers will report on conducting their own dome school and engage in outreach activities to promote future sessions.
  • Achievable: The grant will cover the costs of supplies and travel for all three trainer workshops.
  • Relevant: This step ensures that the knowledge gained in earlier phases is transferred to broader audience.
  • Time-bound: Completed by March 2026.