{"id":238369,"date":"2026-08-03T15:39:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T01:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=238369"},"modified":"2026-08-03T15:41:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T01:41:40","slug":"global-research-on-food-system-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/03\/global-research-on-food-system-sustainability\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu faculty advance global research on food system sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Pacific Island taro field. (Photo credit: CSIRO<\/abbr>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>–West Oʻahu<\/span> faculty have advanced international research and practice on preparing food systems for climate-related disasters, pandemics and other interconnected disruptions through the completion of the Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems special research topic, “Food System Resilience, Disaster Preparedness & Response<\/a>,” now published as an open access e-book that can be downloaded.<\/p>\n

“Universities create their greatest value by translating recent scientific knowledge into practical action. This research topic, our Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> disaster preparedness study, and the Resilient by Design initiative demonstrate a knowledge-to-action model that connects research, community partnerships and public policy to build resilient agri-food systems,” said Albie Miles, associate professor of sustainable community food systems.<\/p>\n

Miles, who is also the co-director of the UH<\/abbr>\u2019s Ke \u014c Mau Center for Sustainable Island Food Systems<\/a>, served as lead associate editor for Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. This collection, which comprises 14 articles by 61 authors, has already garnered more than 98,000 views and downloads.<\/p>\n

Need for improved preparedness<\/h2>\n
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Hurrican Lane (2018) approaching the Hawaiian Islands. (Photo credit: NOAA<\/abbr>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The research is particularly relevant for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. Recent history has illustrated the fragility of local food access, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the devastating 2023 Lahaina wildfires and frequent severe weather. The publication explores these types of vulnerabilities while offering evidence-based strategies for disaster preparedness, recovery and adaptation.<\/p>\n

A recurring theme in the research is the need for improved household preparedness. A previous study<\/a> by UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> Professor Konstantinos Zougris and Miles found that only 12% of 1,006 surveyed Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> households maintained the state recommended 14-day supply of food, water and essential medicine. This finding underscores the necessity of strengthening household preparedness as a foundation for broader food system resilience.<\/p>\n

The project also dovetails with the Resilient by Design: Reimagining Pacific Food Systems initiative that focuses on transforming Pacific food security, climate adaptation, and regional sovereignty. As a co-lead on the project\u2019s steering committee, Miles helped bridge global resilience science with Pacific Island priorities to strengthen partnerships across the region.<\/p>\n

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Pacific Island crops, fish and livestock. (Photo credit: CSIRO<\/abbr> and Albie Miles)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Faculty seek to build resilient agri-food systems through research and symposia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":238429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[158,861,59],"class_list":["post-238369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-publication","tag-sustainable-community-food-systems","tag-uh-west-oahu","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t