CTAHR faculty, staff gather to talk statewide Ag strategy

On Oct. 11, the Mānoa campus welcomed CTAHR faculty and staff from all four counties served by the College to brainstorm strategies for increasing the productivity, sustainability, and community focus of agriculture and economic development in Hawaiʻi. The meeting was called by Dean Parwinder Grewal to gather feedback on how CTAHR, as Hawaiʻi’s land-grant college, can help the state’s producers, entrepreneurs, and communities tackle economic and environmental challenges while fostering food security, wellbeing, and health.

In addition to completing individual questionaires, the strategy session’s 57 participants took part in two rounds of small-group discussions. The resulting insights and ideas were captured and presented by group facilitators.The 14 discussion topics encompass the full range of research and extension expertise across CTAHR’s six academic departments:

• Managing natural resources for building sustainable local food, fuel, fiber, and floriculture systems
• Expanding Hawaii’s fashion and merchandising industry
• Building a new bioeconomy
• Building community- and island-based food and agricultural product self-sufficiency
• Meeting ag technology and tools needs
• Enhancing food processing and value-added product innovation and capacity
• Meeting workforce needs
• Expanding aquaculture and aquaponics
• Expanding controlled-environment agriculture
• Building food aggregation hubs and local marketing ecosystems
• Building indigenous food systems
• Reducing cost of food and agricultural production
• Supporting health and wellness of farmers, families, and communities
• Enhancing business management skills and entrepreneurship

The individual and small-group recommendations will be compiled in a report that will inform the College’s work to support local industries; reduce reliance on imports and increase opportunities for exports; ensure access to safe, nutritious food; and enhance the prosperity of farmers, families, and communities. Stay tuned for newsletter updates on this path forward.

View additional photos on Flickr.