OED announces recipients of FY24-25 Agriculture Farm Expansion Grants

Published on March 10, 2025

LĪHU‘E – The Office of Economic Development recently requested proposals for its Agriculture Farm Expansion Grants (AFEG) for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. This is the second year that OED has offered funding for AFEG with the intent to advance Kaua‘i’s agricultural industry through targeted investments in the expansion of farming and/or production across the island.

Of the 18 proposals received, a selection committee reviewed and scored each eligible proposal. Upon careful consideration, 12 project proposals were partially or fully funded, for a total of $637,429.00. The Office of Economic Development is pleased to share the list of projects that received funding this year.

• Kumano I Ke Ala O Makaweli: Maha`iha`i Restoration Phase 3 - Building out of 80 additional lo`i 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 & staff training to ensure restoration activities are optimized for ecological and agricultural success.
• Waipa Foundation: Building Propagation capacity in Waipa - Expansion of Waipa Foundations plant propagation capacity of native & cultural plants, microgreens and vegetable seedlings to increase access to locally grown produce & strengthening community food systems for the only federally designated disadvantaged community on Kaua‘i.
• CG Foundation: Lydgate Farms Expansion of Cacao, Vanilla & Honey - 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.
• Ho`omalu Ke Kai: Laboratory Expansion for fishpond production - Laboratory expansion to expand micro-algae production, water testing, and general laboratory capacity at the Nomilo Fishpond.
• Kukulu Kumuhana O Anahola: Ulupono Anahola Farm - Expansion of the Ulupono Anahola Farm including adding soil amendments, composting and mulching and preparation for a planting of 134 trees on an additional 3 acres.
• Wai`oli Valley Taro Hui Inc: `Auwai Irrigation Ditch Repair - Repair of the `auwai irrigation ditch to improve and increase water flow to generate additional kalo for four farming business operations on 34 acres of lo`i.
• Wai`oli Valley Taro Hui Inc.: Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) Solar Pumps - Addition of RPS Solar Pumps to replace the current piping system to the `auwai to expand lo`i production and quality, including less disease and water stagnation.
• Hawaii Farm Bureau Foundation: Ueunten Farm Resilience Plan - 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 - Addition of farm infrastructure to increase plant propagation and increase farm yields enhancing Kauai’s long term ecological and economic sustainability.
• Malama Kaua‘i: Makaweli Pu`ulima `Auwai Improvements - Ditch modernization project for an aging and deteriorating system used by 6 Makaweli Kalo Farmers that participate in the kalo to kula program, increasing usable acreage and kalo production.
• Malama Kaua‘i: Olohena `Aina Center - 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 & 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 808-241-4946 or email oed@kauai.gov.

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