Mau Nui Food Alliance hosts 2022 Food Summit to discuss future of food for Maui

Kamehameha Schools Maui and the Maui Nui Food Alliance will host the Maui Nui 2022 Food Summit on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, with the theme, Collaboration and Stewardship: Growing Resilience. 

The  Maui Nui Food Alliance, a cross-sector collaborative dedicated to a resilient and healthy food future for Maui County, is excited to gather with food system leaders from Maui, Molokai and Lānaʻi at the second Maui Nui 2022 Food Summit to talk story and start work on a Food and Nutrition Security Plan for Maui County.

Rogerene Kali Arce, the new Maui County Director of Agriculture, will provide the keynote address at the food summit, sharing her vision for the new Maui County Department of Agriculture. 

The day of the Food Summit will start with a Mahiʻai Showcase, highlighting Kamehameha Schools Maui’s partnerships with local farmers and ranchers, including Kūpaʻa Farms, Maui Food Hub, Common Ground Collective, ʻOkoʻa Farms, Mahi Pono, Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative, Haleakalā Creamery, Maui Nui Venison, and Lopes Farm. 

Later in the day, Kamehameha Schools leaders will present on their statewide food systems initiatives, including Poi for the People, and Kamehameha Schools Maui’s Nā ʻOno o ka ‘Āina Farm to School Program. 

An afternoon panel discussion, themed Farm to School: Getting Local Food into Local Bellies, will ask Farm to School leaders Bonny Davis of Kamehameha Schools Maui, Havilah Mills of Grow Some Good, Kristina Cacpal formerly of Maunaloa Elementary 2021 School Garden, and Dennis Chase of the Farm to School Hui, to share their solutions to increase the amount of local food available in Maui County’s schools.

To conclude the Maui Nui 2022 Food Summit, Mayor Victorino will announce the launch of Project Locavore’s 2022 Eat Local Maui Challenge, a community effort and initiative to eat a 100% local diet for 7 days.

The food summit is made possible by support of the Hawaii‘i State Department of Health SNAP Ed Program; this institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider. 

While registration has closed for the Maui Nui 2022 Food Summit, the Maui Nui Food Alliance invites the community to learn more and to join the efforts of the Alliance on their website mauinuifoodalliance.org. Follow them on Instagram at @mauinuifoodalliance. If you have any questions, email mauinuifoodalliance@gmail.com.