LIHUE — With the observance of National Agriculture Day today, it is appropriate to note the list of 12 recipients of Kauai Agriculture Farm Expansion Grants for 2025.
This is the second year the county’s Office of Economic Development has offered funding with the intent to advance Kauai’s agricultural industry through targeted investments in the expansion of farming and production across the island.
National Agriculture Day is observed on March 18 and is part of National Agriculture Week, during which the Agriculture Council of America joins the nation in recognizing and celebrating the abundance provided by agriculture.
Of the 18 proposals received by the OED, a dozen projects were selected to share in $637,429 in grants funding.
• Kumano I Ke Ala O Makaweli: Mahaihai Restoration Phase 3 is building out of 80 additional loi patches and enhancing auwai systems to support traditional Hawaiian kalo production, including technical assistance on sustainable soil health practices, Korean natural farming techniques and planning, and staff training to ensure restoration activities are optimized for ecological and agricultural success.
• Waipa Foundation: Building propagation capacity in Waipa calls for expansion of Waipa Foundation plant propagation capacity of native and cultural plants, microgreens and vegetable seedling to increase access to locally grown produce and strengthening community food systems for the only federally designated disadvantaged community on Kauai.
• CG Foundation: Lydgate Farms expansion of cacao, vanilla and honey. Plans include the expansion of Lydgate Farms including adding new varieties of vanilla and vanilla curing, additional apiary hives, a honey house, and additional planting of up to 167 cacao trees.
• Hoomalu Ke Kai: Laboratory expansion for fishpond production to expand micro-algae production, water testing and general laboratory capacity at the Nomilo Fishpond.
• Kukulu Kumuhana O Anahola: Ulupono Anahola Farm expansion, including adding soil amendments, composting and mulching and preparation for a planting of 134 trees on an additional three acres.
• Waioli Valley Taro Hui, Inc: Auwai Irrigation Ditch repair to improve and increase water flow to generate additional kalo for four farming business operations on 34 acres of loi.
• Waioli Valley Taro Hui, Inc: The addition of renewable portfolio standards solar pumps to replace the current piping system to the auwai to expand loi production and quality, including less disease and water stagnation.
• Hawaii Farm Bureau Foundation: Ueunten Farm Resilience Plan is the mitigation of current and future challenges from disease, invasive species, and weather events by producing on-site composted mulching material and wood chips to improve soil quality for additional farm production and orchard management.
• CG Foundation: Common Ground Community Engagement with Regenerative Agriculture. The addition of farm infrastructure to increase plant propagation and increase farm yields enhancing Kauai’s long-term ecological and economic sustainability;
• Malama Kauai: Makaweli Puulima Auwai improvements. A ditch modernization project for an aging and deteriorating system used by six Makaweli kalo farmers that participate in the kalo to kula program, increasing usable acreage and kalo production.
• Malama Kauai: Olohena Aina Center is the initial development of Phase 1 of the Olohena Aina Project that encompasses 87 agricultural acres for a new agricultural park on the East Side of Kauai.
• Bee Team: Building a Regenerative Model Through Natural Beekeeping and Bridging Indigenous Agricultural Practices. Infrastructure improvement to expand apiary capacity and production, bolster the ecological and economic resilience of Kauai, expand locally sourced and handcrafted products and boost the immunity of Kauai people through the distribution of honey.
For more information, contact the Office of Economic Development at email oed@kauai.gov, or call 808-241-4946.
