Innovations in agriculture can help Hawaii farmers thrive

As we come together this month to celebrate the importance of agriculture on National Ag Day, March 20, it is important to take stock of Hawaii’s vital contributions to the way we grow, sell and consume food, and where the industry will take us next.

Our team at Smart Yields, a Hawaii-based agriculture technology company, is fresh off a milestone trip to Rome to participate in the Laudato Si’ Challenge, an eight-week business accelerator program where a small handful of companies from around the world were invited to present their ideas to solve the global climate crisis by 2030.

While my company enhances and protects crops through shared technology and data, others at Laudato Si’ tackled issues ranging from mitigating food waste to new forms of clean energy production. But the best solutions are often the same: workforce development, resource management, meaningful collaboration, and trust building.

Hawaii is uniquely positioned to address agriculture’s most pressing issues, then scale them for the global stage. First, we have the public drive — the Hawaii Department of Agriculture under the leadership of Scott Enright has worked to encourage the growth small- and medium-size farms as part of the state’s commitment to doubling local food production by 2030.

With an estimated 7,000 farms, the state imports 85 percent of its food, and that has to change if we want a more food-secure future.

Second, there are an increasing number of Hawaii accelerator programs and others around the world who are eager to invest in agriculture innovation, value-added products to best utilize existing crops, and scalability to a larger stage. This will help address significant unmet needs in the industry, as well as empower “agripreneurs” — the aspiring, growing farmer.

Third, Hawaii is a global leader in collaboration. We are not only geographically positioned as a dynamic multi-climate hub between east and west, but we are home to a diverse group of businesses and individuals that is highly skilled at developing constructive solutions.

What can a company 3,300 miles from the Colorado peach industry do to help save $2 million in damages to a family farm from a late-season frost? With innovation and technology, we have proven that it’s possible.

Our approach draws inspiration from the ahupua‘a, the traditional Hawaii land division that stretches from the mountains to the ocean, containing the many important resources needed for the communities within. It’s a model for agricultural health that can be applied throughout the world, enhancing the ways we work together to provide food security, sustainability and profitability for each unique and local environment.

The timing couldn’t be better. What is possible today simply wasn’t on a consumer’s radar 15 years ago. Buyers and grocers are demanding more locally raised foods. That allows smaller farmers and ranchers to diversify and identify value-added crops, and invest in new ways to increase efficiencies. In short, we are creating an entire culture around agriculture and making it something that people from all walks of life what to be involved in.

Together, we can farm smarter. In Hawaii, we are using that power to redesign the way agriculture is done. I encourage you to learn more about the benefits of buying local, eating local and supporting Hawaii’s many businesses and innovators. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture website, hdoa.hawaii.gov, is a great place to start.

Vincent Kimura is CEO and lead founder of Smart Yields. For more on National Ag Day, visit agday.org.