News and Events


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Livestock and Collaboration in China

Livestock and Collaboration in China 22 August 2018

Livestock and Collaboration in China

Rajesh Jha (HNFAS) recently returned from China after teaching the summer intensive course “Livestock Ecology” to the students of Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University in Xianyang. He has been serving as a visiting professor at the university for last three years. 

Pesticide Risk Reduction Education Short Course: October on Oahu

20 August 2018

Pesticide Risk Reduction Education Short Course: October on Oahu

This in-depth two-day short course is about handling pesticides, including herbicides, in ways that will reduce risks to people and our environment. It would benefit people who want to be better informed about handling pesticides properly or prepare for the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s examination for restricted use pesticide certification. (Certified applicators will not earn re-certification credits by attending this course.) (The course does not include the exam for restricted use pesticide certification.)

Food Safety in Aquaponics

Food Safety in Aquaponics 15 August 2018

Food Safety in Aquaponics

There will be a free online webinar on “Challenges and Opportunities for Implementing Food Safety Programs in Commercial Aquaponic Production of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables” on Friday, August 24, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. via Zoom, featuring present and former faculty and staff from the college.

On the Wings of Song

On the Wings of Song 15 August 2018

On the Wings of Song

The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra will again be performing the successful multimedia collaboration Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds, spearheaded by Melissa Price (NREM), on October 31 and November 1 for students in grades 4 through 12. If you know any teachers who might like to bring their classes to a performance, make sure to let them know!

From Indonesia, With Love

From Indonesia, With Love 15 August 2018

From Indonesia, With Love

Samir Khanal (MBBE) recently returned from Indonesia, where he was invited to deliver a summer course and special lectures at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. He also participated in discussions with university representatives about research collaborations and student exchange possibilities.

New Faces: Robert Cating

New Faces: Robert Cating 15 August 2018

New Faces: Robert Cating

New Extension agent Robert Cating is stationed in Hilo, attached to Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences and focused on floriculture, nursery and related industries statewide.

Pigs on the Big Island

Pigs on the Big Island 15 August 2018

Pigs on the Big Island

Over 40 participants attended Swine AI School, put on by Extension agent Mike DuPonte, specialist Halina Zaleski (HNFAS), and MS student Brittany Castle in Hilo, and a swine time was had by all!

The Busy Bee House

The Busy Bee House 9 August 2018

The Busy Bee House

The new Bee House at Maui County Cooperative Extension’s  Research and Education Demonstration Center provides an observational hive to augment youth and community educational projects on beekeeping and the importance of bees to Island agriculture.

A Mixed Bag of Ag

A Mixed Bag of Ag 9 August 2018

A Mixed Bag of Ag

CTAHR agents and researchers, along with other agricultural professionals, partnered to host a well-attended and well-received conference on August 1 at Leeward Community College.

Extension Bounty

Extension Bounty 9 August 2018

Extension Bounty

Cooperative Extension helps everyone, but sometimes they need some help themselves! Now they’ll be getting it: with the support of the State Legislature, HDOA, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union United, and many external partners and stakeholders, CTAHR is able to offer 10 new positions in four counties for immediate hire!

4-H Has Fun With Bugs

4-H Has Fun With Bugs 1 August 2018

4-H Has Fun With Bugs

State 4-H leader Jeff Goodwin has produced a short video to highlight the work of the 4-H program “Connect Kids to the Nature,” funded by a grant from the Disney Conservation Fund. It includes fun activities like learning about entomology, insect pheromones, and butterfly gardens at the O‘ahu Urban Garden Center.

What to Do About the Vog

What to Do About the Vog 1 August 2018

What to Do About the Vog

An Extension bulletin by Scot Nelson (TPSS) and Associate Dean of Extension Kelvin Sewake, “Volcanic Emissions Injury to Plant Foliage,” was quoted and recommended in a recent Big Island Now article. The bulletin is all too relevant to those living in areas of the Big Island affected by the opening of the new vents on Kīlauea Volcano.

Fishing for Knowledge..and Fertilizer

Fishing for Knowledge..and Fertilizer 25 July 2018

Fishing for Knowledge..and Fertilizer

This past weekend, associate Extension agent Andrea Kawabata dove in a spearfishing event to gather roi, ta‘ape, and to‘au for research into fish disease, age, and reproductive status, as well as the impact of these species on the reef. Over 210 pounds of fish was then donated to Big Island farmers for compost and compost-tea fertilizers. 

Extension Excellence

Extension Excellence 25 July 2018

Extension Excellence

The college’s Extension agents recently got some well-deserved props in a laudatory article in Hawai‘i Magazine. The article focuses on Andrea Kawabata, Glen Fukumoto, and Jari Sugano, painting a picture of skilled, dedicated, and enthusiastic Extension workers making a huge difference in Island agriculture—one farm visit, variety trial, or workshop at a time.

 


Project Is No Lemon

Project Is No Lemon 25 July 2018

Project Is No Lemon

CTAHR faculty and Master Gardeners helped Jefferson Elementary students with Project Lemon Tree, which established CO2-reducing trees, an arbor, and student gardens on a campus site vandalized in 2016.

Making Life Better in Maui County

Making Life Better in Maui County 19 July 2018

Making Life Better in Maui County

Congratulations to all CTAHR faculty who were successful in the recent Maui County FY19 grant competition! The projects funded included education in reproductive technologies, establishing a trial garden for ornamentals, investigating dispensing pesticides from drones, continuing breadfruit research, and more.

For the Bees

For the Bees 19 July 2018

For the Bees

Scott Nikaido and Ethel Villalobos (both PEPS) were featured in a Ka Leo article on the class on beekeeping that they teach, Beekeeping in the Tropics: Introduction to Honeybee Health and Management. It is offered through the UH Manoa Outreach College, though Scott hopes to offer classes for credit at UH in the future.

Celebrate Celery

Celebrate Celery 12 July 2018

Celebrate Celery

Joshua Silva and the rest of O‘ahu Cooperative Extension will be holding a Celery Variety Trial Field Day on July 26, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Poamoho Research Station. Participants will be able to observe nine commercially available celery varieties and discuss production practices.

Grow With Them!

Grow With Them! 12 July 2018

Grow With Them!

All growers are invited to a day-long educational workshop: “CTAHR Ground Support: Research-Based Support for O‘ahu’s Fast-Paced Edible Crop Industry,” to learn about current agricultural research, practices, and information from CTAHR faculty and other agricultural partners on Wednesday, August 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Volunteer to Share Your Volunteer-Management Experiences

Volunteer to Share Your Volunteer-Management Experiences 12 July 2018

Volunteer to Share Your Volunteer-Management Experiences

The volunteer development team is interested in learning more about people’s experiences as volunteer managers and is asking those who currently manage Extension volunteers for their input via a 10- to 20-minute anonymous and voluntary online survey. Responses may be used to improve the volunteer experience for faculty, staff, and volunteers.
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12 July 2018

Dealing With Climate Change in Samoa

Dealing With Climate Change in Samoa
Clay Trauernicht and Patricia Fifita (both NREM) organized the American Samoa Extension Climate Forum with partners at American Samoa Community College (ASCC), similar to the climate forum for Extension personnel that they organized last year at UH. Jonathan Deenik and Jensen Uyeda (both TPSS) also presented and attended, drawing on their prior experiences working on the island. Both of these forums explored Cooperative Extension’s role in helping farmers and landowners better prepare for natural disasters and other climate-related hazards. Held in Pago Pago on June 20th and 21st, the Forum was a collaboration between the ASCC and CTAHR to communicate the best available climate science and identify adaptation strategies within the local food production and forestry sectors. Hurricane Gita hit American Samoa hard in March 2018, destroying homes and wiping out most of the commercial taro crops on island but also generating wide interest the Climate Forum. The event drew over 65 participants, including ASCC Extension faculty; representatives from the National Weather Service, NOAA, National Parks, American Samoa EPA, and the Coral Reef Advisory Group; and approximately ten farmers, who were also high-ranking matai (or titled chiefs) representing the districts and villages they oversee. The first day of the Climate Forum began with presentations by content experts on local weather and climate, current work in community and farm resilience, and the latest downscaled climate projections. The second half of the day consisted of a panel discussion by Extension faculty from Hawai‘i and American Samoa addressing how Extension programs and clients use climate information and can better respond to climate-related threats. This was followed by an overview of locally relevant climate-related tools and resources and a facilitated group activity and discussion of the threat posed by climate and weather events to valued resources and the actions available to increase the resilience of those resources. The second day, Jonathan and Jensen provided an interactive workshop on the role of soil health in long-term farm productivity and climate-impact mitigation and the application of novel and low-cost technologies to respond to climate variability and increase efficiency in crop-production systems. After the workshop, participants toured the Extension facilities at ASCC, with guided demonstrations of farm practices including irrigation management, agroforestry, aquaculture, and deep-litter pig farming (the outcome of a prior project by Glen Fukumoto, HNFAS). Clay and Patricia are preparing a summary of the information presented at the Forum and the opportunities and challenges identified by participants for Extension to support climate adaptation in American Samoa. Short videos clips highlighting the perspective and experience of local Extension professionals and farmers are also currently under production. The event in American Samoa is a continuation of a project that has delivered parallel Climate Forums for Extension faculty in Hawai‘i, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2017 with funding from the Pacific Island Climate Change Cooperative, the USDA SW Climate Hub, and the USDOI Office of Insular Affairs.