Germinate by HIplan

Smallholders, the backbone of Hawaiian agriculture, struggled to access resources, share knowledge, and navigate the complexities of a changing climate. They needed a champion, a connector, a central point of support. Agricultural leaders, representing government, businesses, and non-profits, recognized the urgent need for a unified front. They had come together in summits and workgroups, forging a shared vision for the future, but these efforts needed a permanent anchor.

 

What was missing was a dedicated entity, an ecosystem builder, to coordinate the complex interactions between all the players. This entity wouldn't replace existing organizations, but rather act as a catalyst, amplifying their impact and ensuring alignment towards a common vision. It would be the conductor of the agricultural orchestra, bringing together diverse instruments to create a harmonious symphony of support.

 

This ecosystem builder would be the central hub for knowledge sharing, connecting smallholders with experts, facilitating peer-to-peer learning, and curating a wealth of resources. It would be the bridge between sectors, fostering collaboration between government agencies, private sector companies, and non-profit organizations. It would be the voice of the agricultural community, advocating for policies that support smallholders and promote sustainable practices.

 

Imagine a network where smallholders could easily access training on climate-smart agriculture, connect with mentors who had walked their path, and find markets for their unique products. Imagine a landscape where government agencies, businesses, and non-profits worked in seamless coordination, their efforts amplified by a shared understanding of the needs on the ground. Imagine a future where Hawaiian agriculture thrived, not in spite of challenges, but because of the strength of its interconnected ecosystem.

 

This was the vision that drove the creation of a permanent ecosystem building entity. It wasn't just about addressing the immediate crisis; it was about building a resilient and sustainable future for Hawaiian agriculture. It was about recognizing that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that by working together, they could cultivate a thriving agricultural ecosystem for generations to come. This entity, born out of necessity and fueled by a shared vision, would be the key to unlocking the full potential of Hawaiian agriculture, ensuring that the islands' rich agricultural heritage continued to flourish.

​

Hawaii is well-positioned to be a global leader in tropical agrifood and aquaculture tech innovations for a sustainable future.  Hawaii is blessed with production environments similar to most of the global south, climates that provide for year-round production, existing institutional resources for academics, research and outreach, an inclusive and diverse community culture, and an indigenous culture that embraces sustainable practices.  Germinate will catalyze, coordinate and position the tropical agrifood and aquaculture tech ecosystem for success. Given the increasing disruptive impact of climate on food production and food systems, now more than ever we must develop innovative solutions to adapt.
 

Agrifood and aquaculture innovation is in high demand due to a variety of global, industry and local trends.  The current agrifood system is unsustainable in that it uses 70% of global freshwater resources, it consumes 30% of global energy production and it accounts for more than 25% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  At the same time, the global population is expected to increase to 10 billion and estimates are that the world will need to produce somewhere between 60-70% more food to meet the population growth needs.  Scaling current unsustainable practices will make it even harder to produce food as it contributes to global warming.

​

Along with the expected continued disruption of the global agrifood system due to climate impact, the world’s agricultural workforce is aging and shrinking putting global food security at increased risk.  Recent geo-political instability is adding to the complexity of production, supply chains, and food security overall.  While billions are being invested in agrifood innovation, most of this is going toward large-scale production that serves large markets.  Much more investment and attention need to be placed on smallholder producers (of which the International Finance Corporation reports there are just over 600 million) serving smaller and more isolated markets.

​

Hawaii, like our neighbors in the Pacific (Oceania) and much of the Global South, is not a significant producer of GHG. Hawaii contributes less than 0.05% of global GHG emissions, yet will remain vulnerable to climate impact even if neutrality is achieved. Hawaii like others will experience sea level rise, extreme weather events and ecological disruption from our shoreline to mountain tops. The challenges we face are numerous and complex and we must act with urgency now in developing the solutions to adapt to climate impact over the next several decades.

​

Hawaii has many strategic advantages that make it an ideal US location for an Agrifood and Aquaculture Tech Hub.  The scale, terrain and crops in Hawaii are much more like those in the Asia Pacific region than ones on the US continent. Among the strengths are the existing diversity of natural resources (nine of the world’s climates can be found on Hawaii Island), existing institutional capacity (USDA PBARC, UH Manoa CTAHR, NELHA and others), a year-round climate for production, isolation from large industrial scale farming, and cultural diversity to name a few.  Investing in innovations, technologies and strategies to help Hawaii increase economic development through technology focused on smallholders and small markets has cultural, climate and scale relevance in many communities throughout the tropics and Global South.