University of �鶹��ý leaders, alongside more than 180 representatives from government, private sectors, and community organizations, gathered for the 4th annual on December 8 and 9 to explore strategies to build a stronger, more accessible and disaster-resilient food system.

The UH Ke Ō Mau Center, its priority food system planning initiative (THFST), and affiliated faculty played a central role in sponsoring and organizing the event, and in guiding key discussions on planning, community education, and research. This work involves partners across the UH System, including UH West Oʻahu, UH System’s Ke Ō Mau Center for Sustainable Island Food Systems, UH ����ԴDz�’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR), Leeward Community College and Kapiʻolani Community College. CTAHR Dean Parwider Grewal, UH West Oʻahu’s Albie Miles and UH ����ԴDz�’s Noa Lincoln hosted a dedicated session on developing a collaborative research agenda to advance food system resilience in �鶹��ý.

“Food system resilience is the capacity to absorb, adapt to, and recover from disruptions while ensuring equitable access to nutritious food,” said Miles, associate professor of Sustainable Community Food Systems. “It depends not only on physical assets like storage and supply chains, but also on strong social infrastructure — the relationships, networks, institutions, trust and coordination. The 2025 Food System Summit was designed to help build this essential social infrastructure.”

A led by UH researchers reveals a critical gap in disaster readiness across �鶹��ý, with only 12% of households meeting the State of �鶹��ý‘s recommended levels of emergency stockpiling of food, water and essential medicine. This low compliance signals significant vulnerability should a major supply–chain disruption or other disaster occur.

This year’s summit focused on preparedness came at a critical time for the state. Held at the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center, the event centered on, “Food System Resilience and Disaster Preparedness.” Panels and showcases offered frontline perspectives, including lessons learned from the Lāhainā wildfires and the Oʻahu Feeding Task Force. Discussions highlighted new developments and challenges in state-level planning and policy, emergency food distribution and opportunities to strengthen local production and shelf-stable emergency food availability.

The summit emphasized that building a disaster-ready food system requires awareness, planning, coordinated action, sustained investment and shared responsibility, noting that �鶹��ý has the expertise and community leadership to make it a reality.

The University of �鶹��ý is leading global scholarship on food system transformation with the completion of a major open access e-book, , published in .

The research topic brings together 29 peer-reviewed articles from more than 150 scholars across the globe, exploring how food systems influence at least 16 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The research findings are particularly relevant in �鶹��ý, where , , and highlight the urgent need for integrated agri-food system research, education, planning and policy strategies.

“The publication of this research topic and its open access e-book marks a significant milestone in advancing the science and practice of food-system transformation toward the UN SDGs,” said Albie Miles, associate professor of sustainable food systems at UH West Oʻahu and the project’s leader. “We hope the collection will support progress toward a more equitable, sustainable and resilient food system in �鶹��ý and around the world.”

The collection was co-edited by Miles and Travis Idol, professor at UH ����ԴDz�’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience. They worked alongside an international editorial team.

Important UH contributions include an article that develops a for monitoring food security indicators to measure progress toward SDG 2: Zero Hunger. Another article documents the need for a (NCOP) for food-system planning and implementation that directly informed the creation of the NCOP now underway at the .

As an open access e-book, the full collection is freely available to researchers, educators, policymakers, and community leaders worldwide.

The University of �鶹��ý is a key partner in the new Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub that broke ground in Wahiawā on November 14. Led by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), the project brings together the UH Mānoa (CTAHR) and the UH Community College System with other state agencies.

“The food hub is an important step on the path to �鶹��ý’s food self-sufficiency and we are honored to contribute,” said CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal. “It will be helping farmers and entrepreneurs manufacture their innovative food products from local fruits, vegetables, and proteins.”

The Whitmore Village complex will serve as an innovation base to provide manufacturing and industry services at a commercial scale, boost local food sustainability, and enable local entrepreneurs to export globally.

“From Kona to Kekaha, and Hilo to Hāna, the Food and Product Innovation Network can strengthen �鶹��ý’s local food systems and economy for generations to come,” said Senate Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz.

Other partners in the complex include the �鶹��ý Department of Education (HIDOE) and the Department of Law Enforcement.

As part of the complex in Whitmore Village, HIDOE is constructing a Central Oʻahu Regional Kitchen on ADC–owned land. The facility will serve as a statewide model for regional hubs that connect local farms to school cafeterias as part of the state’s farm–to–school initiative.

First Lady Jaime Kanani Green noted how the Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub and HIDOE kitchen concepts will provide healthy affordable meals to all public school students.

Two University of �鶹��ý–West Oʻahu researchers, Konstantinos Zougris and Albie Miles, are guiding the future of sustainable food systems through their recent study in , which offers a roadmap for national cooperation.

“” highlights the necessity of a coordinated national network to advance sustainable agriculture, food security and public health. Drawing on successful initiatives around the country, the research outlines pathways for uniting state and regional efforts to address systemic issues in agri-food systems.

“This research sets the stage for a unified approach to building resilient, equitable and sustainable food systems,” said Miles.

Through interviews with 25 experts and surveys with 35 practitioners across 18 states, the study identifies critical factors for a robust National Community of Practice (NCoP). These include knowledge sharing, policy advocacy and developing scientific metrics for progress. Key challenges, such as funding, shared governance and integration with state agencies, were also noted. Despite these hurdles, participants overwhelmingly supported collaboration to enhance sustainable food system planning.

The study is part of a special research topic on , edited by Miles, UH ����ԴDz� Professor Travis Idol and an international team of scholars. It also builds on previous efforts by Michigan State University’s Center for Regional Food Systems.

Miles intends to have representatives involved in food system planning efforts in �鶹��ý contribute to the development of and participate in the NCoP.

University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s Noa Lincoln earned the federal government’s highest honor for up-and-coming researchers. Lincoln, an associate professor of Indigenous Crops and Cropping Systems at the (CTAHR) was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) by former President Joe Biden.

Lincoln is a nationally recognized expert in the field of agroecology, which encompasses all aspects of sustainable farming.

“I’m grateful that this work in agroecology is being acknowledged nationally,” Lincoln said. “There are many amazing people working in this field, and I hope this award helps to bring further recognition to the importance of Indigenous knowledge and practices.”

works closely with various communities and farmers to support sustainable and just food systems, with his research contributing to national and international advocacy. PECASE winners have already demonstrated their success in their field of expertise as well as in integrating research and education.

CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal noted, “Noa Lincoln’s work is part of our mission to help local communities grow more fruits, vegetables, and proteins. We are honored by his contributions to agroecology and this well-deserved award from the highest level of government.”

The award recognizes Lincoln’s exceptional potential for leadership and innovative research early in their scientific careers. The PECASE is conferred each year at the White House following recommendations from participating agencies, including the National Science Foundation.

• Related �鶹��ýNews story: New �鶹��ýcenter aims to transform agri-food systems

�鶹��ý agroecology champion

Lincoln has more than 50 scientific articles, a book on Hawaiian sugarcanes, two edited volumes, multimedia extension materials, and provided interviews for hundreds of news articles and documentaries and is also deeply involved in the application of community resource management. He is the president and founder of , a demonstration farm restoring traditional agroforestry methods, and the production advisor and a board member of the , a farmer-owned cooperative focused on the mid-tier value chain of several indigenous crops.

Lincoln is also the co-founder and chair of the community-based organization that owns and operates the , which preserves rare Native Hawaiian plants as well as traditional crop varieties. He sits on several boards of community-based nonprofits, such as and , and governmental advisory boards, such as the .

He is working to expand the scale and impact of his work at the to establish the . Along with UH West Oʻahu Professor Albie Miles, this new center seeks to empower transformative initiatives aimed at �鶹��ý’s food system.

About 200 attendees gathered at the University of �鶹��ý–W����� Oʻahu in December for the 3rd Annual �鶹��ý Food System Summit, hosted by the Transforming �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s Food Systems Together (THFST) initiative. The summit spotlighted strategies to end hunger, promote equity, and strengthen �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s food system resilience.

“Recognizing food as a human right transcends political and economic ideologies,” said Albie Miles, THFST co-director and UH West Oʻahu associate professor of Sustainable Community Food Systems. “It speaks to the core values of human equality, aloha and kuleana (responsibility) that define us as a moral society.”

Participants included agriculture professionals, policymakers, food access coordinators, nonprofit leaders, kūpuna (elders) and youth. Together, they explored solutions such as universal free school meals, expanding SNAP benefits, and integrating “food is medicine” programs into healthcare.

“The consequences of hunger extend far beyond the dinner table—it impacts health, education and community well-being,” said Gov. Josh Green, in a video address. “This summit is a crucial step toward achieving a hunger-free �鶹��ý.”

Attendees also discussed legislative priorities for 2025, offering input on the interagency food system plan led by the �鶹��ý Department of Agriculture.

THFST, supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and other partners, fosters statewide collaboration to build a robust and sustainable food system. This year’s summit renewed calls for collective action to combat food insecurity across the islands.

For more information about the summit and its initiatives, visit . Event photos are available in the UH West Oʻahu , and additional highlights can be found in the .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Four University of �鶹��ý campuses have been awarded a $1.5-million grant for the Huakaʻi ʻIke ʻĀina (HIʻA) Project to strengthen Native Hawaiian-serving institutions through advancing food and agricultural sciences.

The HIʻA Project aims to address systemic challenges that students face, from financial obstacles to cultural and institutional barriers. Through direct financial support, including scholarships and travel opportunities, the program seeks to empower these students to become future leaders in �鶹��ý‘s food systems. By providing opportunities for huakaʻi (educational journeys) and experiential ʻāina-based learning, the initiative aims to provide education grounded in cultural relevance and place-based knowledge.

The from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was awarded to , , the (CTAHR) at and .

Fostering collaboration, partnerships

The multi-institutional effort will focus on providing direct financial support to allow underrepresented students to focus on their education without financial strain; conducting experiential learning through ʻāina-based learning activities and cross-campus huakaʻi (travel); integrating Indigenous and traditional ecological knowledge into food systems education; demystifying the path to graduate school through mentoring and targeted support; and fostering cross-campus collaboration and course articulations.

HIʻA will also foster partnerships with community-based organizations actively involved in food-system education, including: , , , , , , , and .

“We’re creating a community supported view, vision and future for �鶹��ý‘s food systems,” said Matthew Kekoa Lau, project lead and an assistant professor at UH West Oʻahu.

Building educational pathways ʻauwaii

Aligned with the mission of UH as a Native Hawaiian place of learning, the HIʻA Project will enable the formation of a multi-institutional coalition dedicated to the development of an educational ʻauwai—a collaborative pathway that nurtures and supports students throughout their academic and leadership journeys.

The coalition includes key faculty members from across the UH system:

• UH West Oʻahu-Lau and Co-PI Albie Miles
• Leeward CC-Co-PI Daniela Elliott
• UH ����ԴDz� CTAHR-Co-PI Noa Kekuewa Lincoln
• �鶹��ý CC-Co-PI Lew Nakamura

By building an educational ʻauwai, the program will ensure that the pathways to higher education, leadership and sustainable food system innovation are open and accessible to Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Alaskan Native students. This effort is supported by the recently launched Ke Ō Mau Center for Sustainable Island Food Systems, a research, education, planning and policy hub focused on improving the local food system in �鶹��ý.

How food is grown, distributed and consumed around the world has an enormous toll that hits the environment and communities worldwide. A 2023 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that the world’s current agri-food systems impose hidden costs equivalent to over $12.7 trillion a year, or 10% of the global gross domestic product. The hidden costs lead to unhealthy diets, leading to obesity and chronic illnesses that take employees away from work.

The challenges of these agri-food systems has inspired the University of �鶹��ý to create the Ke Ō Mau Center for Sustainable Island Food Systems to focus on improving the local food system in the islands.

Worldwide, low-income countries suffering from poverty and undernourishment are especially impacted. Agricultural production is also degrading ecosystems through land-use changes, biodiversity loss, freshwater resource exploitation, soil erosion, greenhouse gas emissions, and water pollution from fertilizers and pesticides.

Developing sustainable agri-food systems can play a crucial role in achieving socio-ecological health, equity, resilience, and sustainability, supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Holistic and collaborative solutions

These pressing global issues, along with local food system challenges, have led to the development of the UH Ke Ō Mau Center for Sustainable Island Food Systems. The soon-to-be research, education, planning, and policy hub will focus on improving the local food system in �鶹��ý.

Led by Associate Professor Albie Miles and Associate Professor Noa Lincoln, the center will be a cross-campus and community-engaged collaboration addressing pressing problems in food and agriculture in �鶹��ý and beyond.

Examples include Miles’ collaborative food system planning effort with the �鶹��ý Public Health Institute that is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Regional Food Systems Partnerships Program and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Throughout the last three years, this project has convened thousands of food system stakeholders around the state and increased legislative engagement through the annual �鶹��ý Food System Summit.

Lincoln’s collaboration with the �鶹��ý Food Hub Hui has supported data analysis, impact measurement, and public awareness, leading to financial support for the continued growth of �鶹��ý food hubs.

“With significant hidden costs and the growing risk of climate destabilization, we need to work toward healthy, equitable, resilient, and sustainable food systems,” Miles said. “Integrated research, education, and planning are essential to inform public policy and private-sector investment toward transforming our food system.”

For more, . Noelo is UH’s research magazine from the .

Bryceson Gregory Kealiʻiwiwoʻoleikamaunakiʻekiʻe Tugade is hoping to convey some important messages as a student speaker at the ’s commencement ceremony on December 9.

Always seek the “more” in life. Remain curious. Give back to your community. And one of the most valuable messages: Utilize education as a key tool for attaining personal growth and breaking down barriers.

Tugade, 23, of Aliamanu, will receive a bachelor of applied science with a concentration in (SCFS) at .

“As a first-generation college student, this means the world and so much more,” said Tugade, who is Filipino, Native Hawaiian and Chinese. “This upcoming graduation stands as a testament to my family, peers and larger community that education can be a key driver in overcoming and breaking perceived barriers.”

Emerging leader

After graduating from Radford High School in 2018, Tugade enrolled at , where he graduated in spring 2021 with an associate in science in sustainable agriculture—becoming the first in his family to receive a college degree. He then transferred in fall 2021 to UH West Oʻahu in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.

“I was initially scared of the prospect of advancing my education,” Tugade said. “However, with staff and faculty assistance, I was not only becoming increasingly confident in my ability to perform within an academic realm, but pursuit of opportunities elsewhere was not met with doubt.”

Tugade has thrived—academically, professionally and personally—during his time at UH West Oʻahu. He found mentors in Albie Miles, his academic advisor and an associate professor in the SCFS program, as well as Indrajit Gunasekara, co-founder of the (cultural agroforestry) movement and UH West Oʻahu financial aid officer, whom Tugade calls, “my aya (older brother in Sri Lankan).”

Gunasekara said Tugade’s passionate commitment to the Aloha ʻĀina (love of the land) movement is very inspiring to many.

“He’s always driven to expand his understanding of the work we do with the perspective of Indigenous understanding of where his roots belong, as well as making meaning within the framework of scientific theoretical engagement,” Gunasekara said. “He is a remarkable person, a highly intelligent and deep thinker who’s always ready to step in and to support whenever, whatever capacity the help is needed.”

Miles said Tugade has proven to be an exceptional multidisciplinary food system scholar.

“He has a keen interest in the biophysical sciences, working on the genetics of Polynesian introduced crops with mentors at UH ����ԴDz�, while excelling in his understanding of the root causes of many of the challenges we face in the food system of �鶹��ý and beyond,” Miles said.

‘For my dad’

Tugade aspires to earn a master of science degree at UH ����ԴDz�, and eventually a PhD in tropical plant and soil sciences.

“I plan to continue addressing the layers of work that must be done to identify the current environmental, agricultural and social obstacles we face in �鶹��ý, and strive to find solutions to assist and serve my community,” Tugade said. “By blending my understanding of science and Indigenous Hawaiian knowledge, I can help my community to reclaim control of our local and traditional food systems for health and livelihood.”

Although Tugade didn’t always see himself pursuing a degree as he was growing up, the prospect of higher learning was always a conversation in his household, and his father emphasized the value of education. His family would participate in fundraising events for students in his father’s barrio (town) of Bacar, Magsingal, in the Ilocos Sur region of the Philippines.

“During this semester, my resilience was tested once more—my father unexpectedly passed away this October from an advanced stage of TB,” Tugade said. “From grieving with my ʻohana, to focusing on graduation, and navigating a world without him, I hope to embody resilience and the significant role education can play in our lives.”

He added, “This upcoming graduation is for my dad.”

For more visit .

—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman

For years, �鶹��ý’s food system has been on the precipice of crises. Around 90% of �鶹��ý’s food is imported, and, as of 2021, almost half of all families in the state reported experiencing some level of food insecurity. The COVID-19 pandemic, the wildfires in Lahaina and recent statewide data have shown that �鶹��ý is profoundly unprepared for natural disasters. Moreover, recent analysis has found that fires and natural disasters in �鶹��ý are increasing.

That’s why the (THFST) initiative is hosting its , December 14–15, at the .

“Meaningful change to the agri-food system of �鶹��ý is critical in meeting our health, equity, resilience and sustainability goals as a state,” said Co-organizer Albie Miles, an associate professor of at UH West Oʻahu. “The annual food system summit is a key forum where important food policies are discussed among elected officials and diverse stakeholders from across the islands.”

THFST is a partnership of public and private agencies that aims to invest in the development of a healthy, equitable and community-based food system for �鶹��ý is an opportunity to create a new agricultural economy that is more resilient to the climate crisis, increases food security, improves public health and nutrition, and restores �鶹��ý’s significant biocultural resources.

Registration for the summit is closed, however, the event will be and will feature remarks from U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, state elected officials and others.

Other summit co-organizers include Mahina Paishon-Duarte, co-founder and chief executive officer of Waiwai Collective, Roella Foronda, programs director of �鶹��ý Public Health Institute, and other community partners and organizations.