Hana Mahi'ai: A peer learning program to increase Native Hawaiian agricultural capacity and food sovereignty

Commodities

• Vegetables: sweet potatoes, taro
• Additional Plants: native plants

Practices

• Education and Training: workshop
• Production Systems: agroecosystems
• Sustainable Communities: food sovereignty

Although the colonization of Hawai'i has led to a history of extractive export-oriented agriculture that is causing systemic environmental degradation and disenfranchisement of century-old food systems, land use practices, and spiritual connections to 'āina, pockets of traditional agricultural practices and native knowledge have persevered over the last 240 years. This professional development project will continue the revival of indigenous methods and crops to meet increasing local market opportunities for canoe crops and native food, beverage, medicinal, lei and ceremonial plants.

With Hana Mahiʻai, we will (i) advance collaborative partnerships and capacity among leading non-profit organizations who serve Native Hawaiian farmers and homesteaders through peer-to-peer learning convenings; (ii) increase knowledge and access of native and canoe crop varieties through mapping regional plant resources and their practices in a publicly accessible database and hosting a series of at least 5 workshops, and (iii) maintain native plant and canoe crop collections as repositories to increase accessibility and hands-on learning of associated agricultural practices for Native Hawaiian farmers.

With Hana Mahiʻai, lasting partnerships among leading organizations for agricultural restoration efforts on Hawaiʻi Island are built to support the development of place-based food systems. Simultaneously, more Native Hawaiians can work towards increased food sovereignty by becoming food producers and rebuilding our native knowledge systems and livelihoods. This project will create a reinforcing cycle in which increased adoption of place-based agricultural practices leads to greater productivity, which in turn drives community-grounded and directed economic opportunity, contributing to both the resilience and profitability of Hawai'i's agricultural sector. This integrated approach strengthens social sustainability, ecological and economic outcomes, helping producers succeed long term and advancing an abundant, viable agricultural economy at the household, neighborhood, and community level.

The overall goals of this project are to: a) build the capacity of Native Hawaiian agricultural service provider leaders, including the project staff and collaborators, b) increase Native Hawaiian food self-reliance, and c) improve the environmental, social, and economic viability of Native Hawaiian owned farms and homesteads.

To achieve these goals, our project has the following objectives:

• Increase the development of collaborative partnerships and capacity among leading Native Hawaiian non-profit organizations who serve Native Hawaiian farmers and homesteaders through peer-to-peer learning convenings;
• Increase knowledge and access of native and canoe crop varieties among Native Hawaiian farmers through (i) mapping regional plant resources and their practices in a publicly accessible database, (ii) agricultural education and training and (iii) sharing of plant materials.
• Maintain native plant and canoe crop collections as repositories to increase accessibility and hands-on learning of associated agricultural practices for Native Hawaiian farmers.