RDP is working with the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH-CTAHR) to provide agriculture equipment rental to farmers. The specific target group to be served will be taro farmers receiving technical assistance from UH-CTAHR Molokai Cooperative Extension.

Taro demand both on and off-island has always been high. Molokai possesses a significant inventory of homestead and other agriculture lands to meet a portion of the market demand.

A major limiting factor to expanded taro production and other agriculture on Molokai has been lack of access to proper equipment. This has proven extremely detrimental to small-scale farmers who do not have adequate start-up capital to purchase their own equipment. This being so, a number of partners have collaborated to address the issue.

A tractor was purchased by the Molokai Enterprise Community (EC) to serve the agriculture community. RDP participation was solicited as a cost-share contribution to agricultural sustainability on the island. CTAHR has agreed to take custodial management of the tractor as well as provide technical assistance to farmers. The tractor and all associated implements will be housed at the Maui Community College (MCC) – Molokai Farm and will be available for use in MCC Molokai’s agricultural education programs as well as other RDP sponsored agriculture training initiatives.

Expected outcomes include the establishment of a sustainable program for equipment rental and maintenance that will be available to the Molokai farming community. Farmers will have access to farming equipment and implements available at the MCC-Molokai Farm and as administered by CTAHR with an established system for rental fees and maintenance to ensure sustainability of the program and on-going access to agriculture services.

UH-CTAHR will initially recruit 7-10 farmers into the project. It will conduct on-site technical training in proper equipment handling and use for opening taro fields for planting. Farmers will be trained in tractor maintenance and in the concepts and application of retooling or adapting implements for taro and alternative crops. It is envisioned that taro farmers will have cleared at least 26 acres for dry land taro cultivation. Taro will be marketed at a competitive price for both raw and value-added products.

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