The County of Maui Department of Agriculture has launched the Maui County Food and Nutrition Security Plan. The initiative aims to feed the county's residents with affordable, nutritious, and culturally relevant food, as reported by the County of Maui. Working towards a more equitable and resilient food system, the plan highlights the importance of local food production, especially for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, with a targeted vision for improvement by the year 2030.
For the implementation of key portions of the plan, annual progress reports will keep the initiative transparent. The department has already started partnering with local producers, organizations, and agencies. Residents can garner detailed insights into the initiative on the department's website, which emphasizes strengthening local food economies, promoting responsible stewardship of natural resources, and improving access to food that carries cultural significance.
More than 900 Maui residents, spanning farmers, ranchers, and various other stakeholders, contributed to the planning process through community meetings and talk-story sessions. Developed with the help of community feedback, the Maui County Food and Nutrition Security Plan addresses the food system's stages from production to consumption.
The plan's creation was a collaborative effort involving the Maui Nui Food Alliance and professionals such as Kamanani Conklin of New Venture Advisors and Alice Liu of Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, supported by funds from the Transforming Hawai‘i’s Food Systems Together initiative. Alongside promoting profitable agricultural careers, the plan's goals comprise building a local vibrant food economy and supporting producers in widening the scope of local food production.
For more information, contact the County’s Department of Agriculture at [email protected]. You can also reach them by phone at (808) 270-8276.
