Growing aquaponic lettuce at the Kauai Community College. Daniel Lane photo
The Community Empowerment Project will employ methods of community engagement and empowerment that have proven successful in cities across the US and Europe. These methods will engage community organizations and members in taking responsibility for planning and implementing systems of food production and distribution that will satisfy their basic needs. These systems focus on increasing the number of home and community gardens and small local farms, and employ techniques of organic farming, aquaponics production of fish and vegetables, and other advanced crop production techniques. The food is harvested and distributed to various consumer groups in that community and the resulting income provides for the continued growth and successful expansion of the project.
Planting seeds for a sustainable future. Daniel Lane photo
The goal of the project is to reduce our 85-percent dependence on imported products and to instead increase consumption of local food thereby pumping dollars into the local economy rather than into other more distant food corporations. The benefit to Kauai’s residents and visitors will be increased access to fresh wholesome food that is not diminished in nutritional quality nor inflated in price due to packaging and long-distance shipping.
The Village Green LLC, a Kauai-based farm service and training company, has joined forces with the Kauai Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, to plan and launch this project to achieve food self-sufficiency for Kauai. They are inviting residents and members of organizations in every community on Kauai to participate in the planning and implementation of the Project.
To support the start-up costs of this project the Village Green and Kauai Foundation staff are seeking grants from local and national foundations. However, these foundations are often more responsive to projects that demonstrate a strong degree of public support in the form of volunteer participation and cash contributions. In effect, the foundations are more willing to help those who are more inclined to help themselves. Accordingly, we are requesting support from all sectors of Kauai including businesses, churches, community organizations, restaurants, markets, families, individuals and many others. Cash contribution to the Kauai Foundation are tax deductible. Persons willing to participate in planning and production should contact the Village Green.
Food self-reliance for Kauai will benefit everyone. We respectfully request your support. Contact one or both of the following organizations to learn how to support this Project.
Organically grown romaine lettuce. Daniel Lane photo
Kauai Foundation Village Green, LLC
Janee Marie Taylor
PO Box 1537
Koloa, HI 96756
808-652-2726
www.kauaifoundation.org
Glenn Hontz
PO Box 1780
Koloa, HI 96756
808-742-7820
hontzg@gmail.com
The Village Green LLC is a limited liability company formed under the statutes of the state of Hawaii (Section 428-203). Its mission is to design, implement and refine sustainable systems of food production and distribution that contribute to attaining food self-sufficiency for clients on Kauai and other participating regions. The Village Green designs, creates and manages state-of-the art systems – utilizing both aquaponics and organic agriculture – that produce high quality fresh locally grown food. The Company also provides technical consulting and skilled labor services to Kauai’s network of community-based home gardens and commercial farms to help increase food production. It develops direct marketing systems for efficient distribution.
Very interesting… thanks for sharing this news, Marta. Is there an “umbrella organization” uniting like-minded folks around the island? That is, this group seems to be south side oriented, I read about Stellar Gardens recently which is more east side and I know there are people on the north shore, too, that share these values. Are things developing island-wide or is a ” Ahupua’a” approach still more the norm? It’s really interesting to me because on my first trip to Kauai 10+ years ago, I attended a meeting at KCC hosted by Ken Stokes (and bought his “Tending the Garden Island” book); it’s good to see some of his ideas taking seed. I offer mahalo ihi for everyone’s contributions to Kauai’s protection and sustainability. Love that little island… 🙂
Aloha Debi! There is no umbrella organization like you mention. Village Green will work in any area of the island. There are like-minded folks all over this island as well! It’s a great time to be living and growing on Kauai as awareness for sustainable agriculture is taking root. This little island worries about food security and being destroyed by international GMO seed companies growing experimental crops and spraying experimental pesticides. Yesterday, a “right to know” bill was introduced. About 200 people of all demographics came. It’s not just the crazy hippies making noise anymore!