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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlan Index for Community FeedbackCOUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 5 YEAR AGRIFOOD SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY PLAN SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK BY JULY 17 COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 5 YEAR AGRIFOOD SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY PLAN SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK BY JULY 17 We are asking for your input to ensure the plan reflects the different perspectives of Hawaiʻi Island’s communities. How to use this document Review and provide feedback on the Draft Plan Add Actions, Programs or Resources for the Plan Learn about the Plan Review the Goal Areas and fill out the form to provide Actions or add Programs and Resources to the Directory. Review the briefs that matter most to you or where youfeel you can provide the most valuable feedback. Start by reading the Plan Overview and Guiding Principles. The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research &Development and collaborators are developing a Planto increase coordination and investment in theAgriculture and Food (Agrifood) System. Page 1 of 8 Reading this on paper?Access the digital version toclick hyperlinks using theQR code or URL below. https://canva.link/planindex Plan Overview Acknowledgements This plan reflects the knowledge, experiences, and aspirations of hundreds of HawaiʻiIsland residents, producers, agriculture and food system practitioners, agencies, andorganizations who contributed their time through advisory committees, interviews, focusgroups, regional meetings, and food summits. We would especially like to thank theStakeholder Advisory Committee, the project team and contractors, community partners,and issue brief contributors and subject matter experts. Why This Plan Matters Hawaiʻi Island's Agrifood System includes the interconnected activities, people, infrastructure, andresources involved in all agriculture and food production, hunting, fishing, gathering, processing,distribution, retail and sharing networks, food banks and pantries, consumption, and waste recovery andreuse. Strengthening this system is essential to improving economic viability, resilience, self-sufficiency,and community food security. Community Food Security is a community's ability to ensure that all itsmembers have reliable access to sufficient, affordable, culturally relevant, and nutritious food. This plan begins from a place of abundance by recognizing the strengths, relationships, and initiativesthat already exist across Hawaiʻi Island and asking how we can better support and connect them. AcrossHawai’i Island, producers, organizations, agencies, and communities are already leading extraordinarywork to strengthen our agrifood system. Their impact can be seen in thriving farmers’ markets, vibrantcultural food traditions, community kitchens and food pantries, ʻāina restoration, and the livelihoods ofthe many people who grow, prepare, and share food across our island. At the same time, this work oftenhappens across different sectors and geographies, making it more difficult to coordinate and support,and many of these groups run into structural challenges that require greater collaboration and long-term investment to adequately address. This plan was created to provide a shared understanding of Hawaiʻi Island's Agrifood System andCommunity Food Security, elevate the voices and experiences of those who participate in it, andestablish a common vision for its future. By providing an assessment across the Agrifood System,highlighting challenges and opportunities, existing assets, programs, resources, and actions alreadyunderway across the island, the plan seeks to increase visibility, strengthen connections, reduceduplication, and identify opportunities for greater coordination and collaboration. Ultimately, the planaims to help communities, organizations, funders, industries, and government better understand theagrifood system, align resources and investments, support the people and organizations doing this work,and create the conditions for a more resilient, economically viable, and food-secure Hawaiʻi Island. How This Plan Is Being Created This plan is grounded in the knowledge, experiences, and priorities of Hawaiʻi Island's communities.Throughout the planning process, the County has worked closely with producers, residents, serviceproviders, agencies, and community organizations to ensure the plan reflects the diversity ofperspectives, needs, and opportunities across the island. A Stakeholder Advisory Committee of morethan 30 agriculture and food system leaders has helped guide the process, shape the vision and guidingprinciples, and inform key decisions throughout plan development. Plan Development Process The plan was developed through a multi-year, iterative process that combined research, stakeholderengagement, and collaborative action planning. Between 2024 and 2026, the planning team conducted49 interviews, focus groups, working sessions, and community meetings involving more than 700residents, producers, service providers, agencies, and community organizations. This input informed thedevelopment of 46 issue briefs, systems-level findings, an action plan, a community food securityreport, and a resource and program directory. Six regional food summits are now providing anopportunity for communities to learn how to review and give feedback on the draft briefs, prioritizeoverarching Goal Areas for their region, and suggest their existing actions, programs, and resources forconsideration. This process is to ensure the final plan reflects both islandwide and regional perspectives. Page 2 of 8 Plan Overview What’s in the Plan? The plan combines regional analysis, issue-specific research, community priorities, andimplementation strategies into a single framework for strengthening Hawaiʻi Island's agrifoodsystem over the next five years. Key sections include: District snapshots: Data-rich reviews of each of the nine regions’ unique agrifood systemcharacteristics, assets, challenges, and opportunities. Issue Briefs: The 46 issue briefs create a shared baseline understanding of Hawaiʻi Island'sagrifood system by summarizing current conditions, statistics, trends, challenges, andopportunities across key topics in the following categories: Products, Markets, Inputs andInfrastructure, Issues, and Community Food Security. Systems-level Themes: Cross-cutting insights, challenges, and opportunities that emergedacross briefs and engagements. These represent key areas where collaboration across sectorsand communities can create systemic change. Goal Areas: The Goal Areas represent the major themes that emerged through research,stakeholder engagement, and community input. They serve as broad areas of focus that willorganize the plan's goals and the actions needed to achieve them. Together, the goals andactions will provide a roadmap for strengthening Hawaiʻi Island's agrifood system and trackingprogress over the next five years.  Action Plan: Developed through community, county, state, and federal collaboration, the ActionPlan identifies specific actions that can be advanced over the next five years to strengthenHawaiʻi Island's agrifood system. Actions were selected based on their alignment with the plan'sguiding principles, potential impact, implementation readiness, leadership capacity, andfunding feasibility, with an emphasis on building upon and strengthening existing effortsalready underway across the island.  Resource Directory: Organizations, programs, shared assets, and technical assistanceresources.How The Plan Will Be Implemented Implementation of this plan is intended to be community-led with county support. While theCounty plays an important role in convening partners, coordinating across sectors, and aligningpublic resources, most actions represented in the plan are led by community organizations,producers, institutions, businesses, and other partners. This shared approach recognizes that nosingle organization can strengthen Hawaiʻi Island's agrifood system alone and that lasting changedepends on sustained collaboration across communities and sectors. Stewardship of the plan will be guided by the Mayor's Agrifood System Plan Task Force, whichwill help monitor progress, elevate emerging challenges and opportunities, and ensureimplementation remains grounded in community priorities. Recognizing that conditions andneeds will evolve, the plan is designed as a living framework that supports continuous learning,adaptation, and collaboration. How This Plan Will Be Used This plan is intended to:Highlight emerging needs and opportunitiesStrengthen collaboration and align efforts around shared prioritiesGuide public and private investmentSupport grantmaking and funding decisionsInform County planning and policy developmentTrack progress on key agrifood system issues over time Page 3 of 8 Biocultural StewardshipUplift and center Native Hawaiian ways of knowing and cultural values in land and waterstewardship. Advance biocultural stewardship and restoration through community-basedmanagement, ʻāina-based education, and regenerative practices that renew relationshipsbetween people and place, and cultivate waiwai — the abundance and well-being thatsustains Hawaiʻi. Cultural Heritage & Sense of PlaceCelebrate and sustain agricultural systems, the foodways, histories, cultural practices,values, and intergenerational knowledge exchange of Hawaiʻi Island’s diverse communities. Equity & InclusionPromote more equitable opportunities and outcomes by addressing systemic barriersand ensuring historically underserved communities are meaningfully represented inshaping, accessing, and benefiting from Hawaiʻi Island’s agrifood system. Producer & Practitioner- Centered SolutionsCenter the knowledge and leadership of Hawaiʻi Island producers, ranchers, fishers,hunters, and cultural practitioners to advance equitable agrifood system solutions.Support approaches that sustainably manage and restore natural and cultural resources,while enabling economic viability, producer wellbeing, worker rights and safety, foodsovereignty, and nutrition security for current and future generations. Circular & Regenerative EconomyPromote regenerative and locally rooted economic systems that reduce waste, reuseresources, maximize and keep value locally. Prioritize investments that address systemicissues and advance agriculture and community well-being. Climate Resilience & AdaptationSupport adaptive and regenerative approaches that help Hawaiʻi Island’s agrifood system,ecosystems, and communities anticipate, adapt to, and recover from climate, economic,environmental, and public health disruptions through proactive planning, diversifiedsystems, and long-term stewardship. Community Food SecurityAdvance food as a human right by ensuring reliable access to sufficient, nutritious, andculturally appropriate food for all Hawaiʻi Island residents. Center place-based solutions,public programs, and community-driven strategies that strengthen the capacity ofHawaiʻi Island communities to care for one another in everyday life and times of crisis. Biocultural Stewardship Uplift and center Native Hawaiian ways of knowing and cultural valuesin land and water stewardship. Advance biocultural restorationthrough community-based management, ʻāina-based education, andregenerative practices that renew relationships between people and place, and cultivate waiwai — the abundance and well-being thatsustains Hawaiʻi. Cultural Heritage & Sense of Place Celebrate and sustain the foodways, histories, cultural practices,values, and intergenerational knowledge exchange of Hawaiʻi Island’s diverse communities. Equity & Inclusion Promote more equitable opportunities and outcomes by addressingsystemic barriers and ensuring historically underserved communitiesare meaningfully represented in shaping, accessing, and benefiting from Hawaiʻi Island’s agrifood system Producer & Practitioner Centered Solutions Center the knowledge and leadership of Hawaiʻi Island producers,ranchers, fishers, hunters, and cultural practitioners to advanceequitable agrifood system solutions. Support approaches thatsustainably manage and restore natural and cultural resources, whileenabling economic viability, producer wellbeing, worker rights andsafety, food sovereignty, and nutrition security for current and futuregenerations. Circular & Regenerative Economy Promote regenerative and locally rooted economic systems that reduce waste, reuse resources, maximize and keep value locally.Prioritize investments that address systemic issues and advanceagriculture and community well-being. Resilience & Adaptation Support adaptive and regenerative approaches that help HawaiʻiIsland’s agrifood system, ecosystems, and communities anticipate,adapt to, and recover from climate, economic, environmental, andpublic health disruptions through proactive planning, diversifiedsystems, and long-term stewardship. Community Food Security Advance food as a human right by ensuring reliable access tosufficient, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food for all HawaiʻiIsland residents. Center place-based solutions, public programs, andcommunity-driven strategies that strengthen. the capacity of HawaiʻiIsland communities to care for one another in everyday life and timesof crisis. Guiding Principles Developed with the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, these Guiding Principles are the core values that inform all components of the Plan. Page 4 of 8 Nutrition & Cooking EducationNutrition Access Subsistence & Sharing Networks FruitsLivestock & DairyMacadamia Nuts Mushrooms, Spices, Teas, and Other CropsTaroVegetables Plant Propagation MaterialSupplies & EquipmentTransportation, Aggregation, & DistributionWater Infrastructure* Land AccessMarketing & AwarenessProducer Technical Assistance Research & Data Waste ReuseWorkforce DevelopmentWorkforce Housing Access to CapitalAgricultural TheftBiosecurity Compliance Cooperative Business Development*Environmental Stewardship & ClimateResilience Farmer & Farmworker Wellbeing 'Āina-Based & Gardening EducationDisaster Resilience Emergency Food Assistance Institutional Purchasing Resorts & Hospitality IndustryAgricultural TourismEnd-Consumer MarketsExport Markets Agricultural InputsAnimal FeedsFarm InfrastructureProcessing & Value Added Production PRODUCT BRIEFS ISSUE BRIEFS AquacultureBees & HoneyCacao Coffee Commercial FishingFloriculture + Ornamental/LandscapingNursery Forestry & Wood Products INPUTS & INFRASTRUCTURE BRIEFS COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY BRIEFS MARKET BRIEFS Briefs Choose BriefTopic(s) below Fill out the Feedback Form Learn about the Plan Form linked at the top of each brief. Click the links below to goto the draft Brief you would like to give feedback on. To help inform your feedback on the briefs. Read Plan Overview on pg. 2 *Brief in development and will be added to this document when completed. Page 5 of 8 Reading this on paper?Access the digital version to clickhyperlinks using the QR code or URL.https://canva.link/planindex Goal Areas 1: Access to Agricultural Land, Capital, and Infrastructure: Increase access to agricultural land, financing,equipment, water systems, and shared-use infrastructure needed to support viable and productiveagrifood enterprises across Hawaiʻi Island. 2: Producer Capacity & Success: Increase access to coordinated technical assistance, businessplanning, financial literacy, compliance support, and market intelligence that help producers andagrifood businesses start, grow, and scale successfully. 3: Agrifood Workforce Development & Support: Expand workforce pathways, apprenticeships,agricultural education, housing solutions, language access services, and worker support systems thatimprove the wellbeing, safety, and long-term success of producers, farmworkers, and food systemworkers. 4: Local Processing and Value-Added Production Capacity: Increase access to processing facilities,commercial kitchens, slaughter and butchery services, shared-use production infrastructure, andvalue-added business support that enable producers to retain more value locally. 5: Local and Regional Food Supply Chains: Improve aggregation, cold storage, transportation,distribution, and institutional purchasing systems to connect producers with local markets and improvethe movement of Hawaiʻi-grown food throughout the island. 6: Markets for Hawaiʻi Island Agricultural Products: Increase demand for locally produced food andagricultural products through coordinated marketing, agritourism, consumer education, branding, andmarket development initiatives that strengthen producer profitability and community connection tolocal agriculture. 7: Food Security, Nutrition, and Access to Healthy Local Food: Expand access to affordable, nutritious,and culturally relevant foods through community-based programs, institutional partnerships, Food isMedicine initiatives, nutrition education, and strengthened food assistance networks. 8: Community Food Resilience and Emergency Preparedness: Develop community capacity,infrastructure, partnerships, and emergency food systems that improve preparedness for disasters,supply chain disruptions, and other shocks affecting food access and production. 9: Biocultural Restoration and Regenerative Resource Stewardship: Support agricultural practices,resource management strategies, and restoration efforts that protect and enhance soil health, waterresources, biodiversity, and cultural landscapes while advancing Native Hawaiian stewardship valuesand long-term ecosystem health. 10: Agricultural Water Security and Long-Term Water Availability: Increase the reliability, accessibility,efficiency, reuse, and long-term sustainability of water resources needed to support agriculturalproduction and community resilience across Hawaiʻi Island. 11: Biosecurity and Agricultural System Resilience: Prevent, detect, and respond to invasive species,pests, and diseases through research, education, monitoring, coordinated response systems, andinvestment in long-term biosecurity capacity supporting the agriculture sector and food security. 12: Coordination, Collaboration & Shared Capacity: Increase alignment, information sharing, andcollective action among producers, community organizations, educational institutions, businesses, andgovernment agencies to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and long-term resilience of HawaiʻiIsland's agrifood system. 1) Access to Agricultural Land, Capital, & Infrastructure Increase access to agricultural land, financing, equipment, water systems, and shared-use infrastructure needed to support viable and productive agrifood enterprises across Hawaiʻi Island. 2) Producer Capacity & Success Increase access to coordinated technical assistance, business planning, financial literacy, compliance support, and market intelligence that help producers and agrifood businesses start, grow, and scale successfully. 3) Agrifood Workforce Development & Support Expand workforce pathways, apprenticeships, agricultural education, housing solutions, language access services, and worker support systems that improve the wellbeing, safety, and long-term success of producers, farmworkers, and food system workers. 4) Local Processing & Value-Added Production Capacity Increase access to processing facilities, commercial kitchens, slaughter and butchery services, shared-use production infrastructure, and value-added business support that enable producers to retain more value locally. 5) Local & Regional Food Supply Chains Improve aggregation, cold storage, transportation, distribution, and institutional purchasing systems to connect producers with local markets and improve the movement of Hawaiʻi-grown food throughout the island. 6) Markets for Hawaiʻi Island Agricultural Products Increase demand for locally produced food and agricultural products through coordinated marketing, agritourism, consumer education, branding, and market development initiatives that strengthen producer profitability and community connection to local agriculture. 7) Food Security, Nutrition, & Access to Local Food Expand access to affordable, nutritious, & culturally relevant foods through community-based programs, institutional partnerships, Food is Medicine initiatives, nutrition education, & strengthened food assistance networks. 8) Community Food Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Develop community capacity, infrastructure, partnerships, and emergency food systems that improve preparedness for disasters, supply chain disruptions, and other shocks affecting food access and production. 9) Biocultural Restoration & Regenerative Resource Stewardship Support agricultural practices, resource management strategies, and restoration efforts that protect and enhance soil health, water resources, biodiversity, and cultural landscapes while advancing Native Hawaiian stewardship values and long-term ecosystem health. 10) Agricultural Water Security & Long-Term Water Availability Increase the reliability, accessibility, efficiency, reuse, and long-term sustainability of water resources needed to support agricultural production and community resilience across Hawaiʻi Island. 11) Biosecurity & Agricultural System Resilience Prevent, detect, and respond to invasive species, pests, and diseases through research, education, monitoring, coordinated response systems, and investment in long-term biosecurity capacity. 12) Coordination, Collaboration & Shared Capacity Increase alignment, information sharing, & collective action among producers, community organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and government agencies to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and long- term resilience of Hawaiʻi Island's agrifood system. The Goal Areas represent common themes across the Draft Plan Actions. Page 6 of 8 Actions Can be community-led, industry-led, County-led, or a collaborative effort between groups. Leads will be asked to provide annual progress updates. Should be started or achieved in the next 5 years. Actions include but are not limited to: Policy, regulation, or legislation recommendations Research Advocacy Creation of a task force Investment Program, Resource or Service creation, support, or expansion Coordination / network development or support. Program & Resource Directory Programs and resources can be organizations, services, financial support, technical assistance, public shared assets, digital tools and more. The Action Plan provides a roadmap of specific steps that can betaken by community, industry, County, and collaborative partnersto advance the plan’s Goal Areas over the next five years. Programs and Resources are included in theplan to increase awareness of existingresources throughout Hawaiʻi Island whilealso highlighting gaps and opportunities forfuture investment and development. Submit your Action, Program or Resource to the Plan here! Action Plan and Resource Directory Some more notes on Actions: Page 7 of 8 Reading this on paper?Access the digital version to clickhyperlinks using the QR code or URL.https://canva.link/planindex Mahalo for your input and feedback! Your comments are very appreciated and will beconsidered as the Plan is finalized. Questions? Please contact:Food Systems Network SpecialistLeslie NugentLeslie.nugent@hawaiicounty.gov Save the Date!Join the Island-Wide Summit on August 14 & 15 to celebrate the Final Plan. th th COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 5 YEAR AGRIFOOD SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY PLAN SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK BY JULY 17 COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI 5 YEAR AGRIFOOD SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY PLAN SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK BY JULY 17 Page 8 of 8