The image shows Kalo (also known as Taro), which is a crop known for the sustaining over 1 million Hawaiians.

In the heart of the Pacific, agriculture in Hawaii before the arrival of colonizers had been a prime example of self-sustainability. One million native Hawaiians had been able to feed themselves and not rely on boats bringing in their food.

However, farming in our islands to sustain ourselves has now become a challenge. Our islands are facing unique issues that aren’t present on the mainland, ranging from a lack of land for agriculture and land costs, to invasive species that have ravaged our home ecosystems. For FFA in Hawaii, these challenges aren’t roadblocks; rather, they are opportunities to protect, innovate and lead.

Challenges We Face

The state of Hawaii imports over 90% of its food, making agriculture vital to our food security. However, our farmers face problems that mainland farmers rarely encounter. Invasive species, such as the Little Fire Ants, Cuban Brown Snails, Miconia and Strawberry Guava, make it harder for plants to succeed and damage the local ecosystem. On top of that, a lot of our land designated for agriculture has problems, including lava rock, steep slopes and lack of accessibility (Jung, 2021).

How FFA Is Preparing Our Youth To Solve Food Security

A solution to this problem is everyone growing fruits and vegetables at home, but it’s not as simple as handing a seed packet to someone. To address this, we must prepare our youth with knowledge, experience and instill a passion for agriculture to guide our state toward food security again.

That’s where FFA comes into play. FFA teaches young adults, like myself, how to lead and advocate while providing valuable hands-on skills through Supervised Agricultural Experiences. FFA in Hawaii has taught me and others about the importance of agriculture in our vulnerable state, and how today’s agricultural education and FFA will lead us to self-sustainability once again. 

What You Can Do

The future of solving the problems of invasive species, land limitations and food insecurity require us to take action. As a community, we must support agricultural education, FFA and the next generation of farmers and leaders. Whether it’s growing your own food, buying from local farmers or supporting your local FFA chapter, every contribution will put us one step closer to achieving self-sustainability in our island home.

Sources:
Jung, Yoohyun. “Hawaii Grown Maps” Honolulu Civil Beat, 2021.