The goal of this project was to strengthen agricultural family cohorts socially and economically in the development of successful farm enterprises. A two-year training program was devised and implemented by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH-CTAHR) in partnership with the Maui Community College – Molokai Farm, and Molokai Education Center, Queen Lili’uokalani Children’s Center, Kuha’o Business Center, and RDP.

The target group served consisted of primarily homestead farmers and individuals possessing agriculture land leases committed to developing sustainable farm enterprises through this training program. Nine (9) families were recruited into the training program, with two (2) in partnership. Eight (8) farm enterprises were established through this training program. The crops produced by the project farm enterprises include organic papaya (3 enterprises), yam (Dioscarea sp.), organic-watermelon/taro, greenhouse lettuce, taro/value added and coffee.

Experiential learning and instructional methodologies were employed as best practices for intergenerational transfer of technology and expertise for sustainable agriculture. Participants gained proficiency in both the sciences and art of agriculture business. Participants learned marketing; farm planning; production planning; record keeping; complete requisite tax forms (Schedule F); farm equipment safety and operation; site-selection assessment; irrigation set-up; soil fertility; plant nutrition; pest management (weeds, insects, diseases); harvesting commodities; post-harvest handling, grading, and quality management; organic certification; basic computing, business software, and custom agriculture-based software.

All families increased their knowledge and experience in crop production and management, and applied them in establishing or expanding their farm business. In 2006, an estimated total of $105,000 was made as cumulative profit that year in harvests and value-added sales. This figure exceeds more than double the year-end project goal of $50,000. Farm products were marketed on-island, intrastate, and on the mainland. Molokai as the only ring-spot virus-free environment in the world is the only producer of organic papaya. Capitalizing on this monopoly, Molokai organic papayas produced by cohort families were marketed to mainland hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland. From these huge cities they were sold and shipped to inland markets. Organic papayas were observed in New York and Arizona.

All farmers gained additional capital for their operations from private grants and loans totaling over $600,000. Several participants were successful recipients of the Molokai Agricultural Development Program awards. One of the farmers helped to establish a coffee cooperative (5 farm enterprises with start-up production on 10 acres of Hawaiian Homestead lands) and secured a statewide competitive grant to develop specialized equipment for operations and produce Hawaiian blend coffees.

Click here to view the project photo album.