A survey of Hawaiʻi farmers conducted by University of Hawaiʻi researchers is now underway to better understand the barriers and needs of growers when it comes to increasing food production in the state.
The Hawaii Farmer Needs Assessment is being conducted by UH West Oʻahu Assistant Professor of Sustainable Community Food Systems Albie Miles in collaboration with Hunter Heaivilin, a PhD student in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Dr. Albie Miles
The survey is designed to help identify the key structural obstacles to farmers doubling food production in Hawaii which is a goal set by the governor and other agencies. Increasing local food production is one of the key goals of Gov. David Ige’s Sustainable Hawaiʻi Initiative and the Hawaiʻi Green Growth Aloha + Challenge, a public-private partnership involving state government agencies and large Hawaiʻi corporations and organizations.
The survey will help define the kinds of support, extension, training, research and public policy that may best meet the needs of the state’s growers. The online survey takes about 5 minutes to complete and will be open from June to August, with results posted to the hawaiifarmerysurvey.com site in late 2018.
Farmers, 18 years and older, may participate in the survey by visiting hawaiifarmersurvey.com, or going directly to the survey here.