#maiʻa

Thanks to continued support from Maui United Way, the Kaialahui Foundation is midway through an ambitious year-long expansion of its Meaʻai Pono project – a grassroots initiative to strengthen Maui’s food security by doubling local food production, planting native trees, and delivering tens of thousands of pounds of culturally appropriate, locally grown foods to wildfire-impacted families.

OHA in collaboration with GoFarm Hawaiʻi, is offering the Cultivating Canoe Crops Course, a six-week agricultural development program on Hawaiʻi Island.

First Hawaiian settlers brought with them very important crops to make sure that upon landing they would have plants that could provide basic necessities. These items or plants that were brought are often referred to as “canoe crops.”

Participating Hawaiʻi public schools served banana sheet pancakes for breakfast this month, featuring local apple bananas. The effort is part of the Department’s farm-to-school initiative which aims to enhance food sustainability in Hawai‘i and aligns with Act 175, which focuses on improving the health of students while supporting local farmers.