The 61st annual meeting of The Clay Minerals Society and 5th Asian Clay Conference, held jointly at UHM, could not have come at a better time, given the pressing environmental challenges facing the Pacific Islands.

A new UH-led project will use artificial intelligence to achieve sustainable water use in Hawaiʻi agriculture. It has received a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and represents a significant step toward revolutionizing farming irrigation practices in our state.

The Urban Garden Center is more than a green oasis that calls to commuters as they drive through Pearl City. It’s a living classroom where community growers and gardeners can learn how to keep plants — and the environment — healthy and beautiful. 

Garlic is one of the most widely used spices for cooking across many different ethnic groups, yet it is one of Hawaiʻi’s most rarely produced spices. One of the challenges, explains Jensen Uyeda of the Dept. of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, is that garlic requires a cold winter to overcome dormancy.

What’s the appetite for hot peppers among local growers in the community? On one hand, Hawaiian chili types are well known and one of the more widely produced peppers in the state. And of course, chili peppers are commonly used, both fresh and dried, in many different culinary dishes.