Recipient Organization
UNIV OF HAWAII
3190 MAILE WAY
HONOLULU,HI 96822
Performing Department
GoFarm Hawaii Program
Non Technical Summary
This Integrated Extension and Education project aims to reduce Hawaii's dependence on imported food, increase food sustainability, develop the local workforce, and support the state's pandemic economic recovery through an affordable program for adult learners to pursue careers and business in food production. GoFarm Hawaii (GFH) prepares students for careers in food, agriculture, and natural resource (FANR) systems through a certificate-based farmer training program, and supports existing farmers through education and business consulting. The project will enhance GFH's program and capacity to develop and support Native Hawaiian (NH) and underrepresented (UR) farmers, building on prior success and experience, and integrating industry and participant feedback. The project will elevate the quality of FANR education in Hawaii with the latest science-based and business knowledge, using practical implementation and experiential learning so students can apply lessons in the field (production) and as a business (marketing product, business planning). Collaborations with extension experts and community partners will strengthen the quality and capacity of the project. The project supports multiple need areas including enhanced curricula, instructional offerings, faculty development, informal experiential learning, and targeted outreach and engagement to improve science-based agricultural educational literacy and equity for NH, UR, and youth populations and train the next generation of Hawaii's farmers. Funding the project will reduce Hawaii's dependence on imported food, develop the local workforce, and support the state's economic recovery. The activities have statewide reach, fill identified community needs, will have immediate economic impact, and allow the University to provide a non-traditional, experiential pathway to strengthen Hawaii's agricultural industry.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Objective 1: Increase community awareness and knowledge of agricultural sciences, agricultural professions, and agribusiness potential in Hawaii: GFH will offer a science-based, non-credit certificate program to adult learners interested in careers in commercial agriculture at five locations. During AgXposure, students get 40 hours of training. During AgSchool, they receive 144 hours of organized instruction and, on average, work an additional 160 hours to maintain their plot/complete assignments. For AgXcel, 216 hours of instruction with an additional 480 hours. During AgPro, 216 hours of instruction with an additional 600 hours.Objective 2: Provide agribusiness training to current and aspiring farmers (including BFTP students): GFH will support aspiring farmers through in-depth agribusiness training to BFTP students at five locations statewide and ongoing business consulting to those in AgIncubator. In addition, ABT will provide technical assistance and business coaching to farmers statewide.Objective 3: Expand educational opportunities for farmers: GFH will leverage its staff knowledge by coordinating skills-based workshops in each county on topics such as seed saving, taro cultivation, and orchard crops/grafting. Topics to increase business knowledge and introduce revenue opportunities will also be offered. These topics will allow many to consider new revenue options for high-demand crops, determine ways to decrease costs/increase efficiency, and develop business practices that can help farmers access government and capital programs.Objective 4: Provide targeted training and support to Native Hawaiian (and UR) community on Island of Molokai: GFH will support farmers on Molokai by participating in collaborative farm visits. In addition, GFH will conduct business education in the island's Garden to Farm training program that is operated by UH CTAHR and Sustainable Molokai. GFH will also leverage current staff to increase educational opportunities on the island.Objective 5: Strengthen statewide outreach planning: GFH will expand its Advisory Panel to include members from across the state and those with expertise in aligned topics (e.g., Farm to School; NH outreach). This effort will a) strengthen the collaboration and work between CTAHR Cooperative Extension (CE) and GFH, b) ensure appropriate curriculum and relevancy for new farmers, c) align efforts to provide education and support for the local agricultural community, and d) target recruitment.Objective 6: Provide leadership, networking, communication, and other critical skills and competencies to GFH and outreach staff: Staff will participate in classes to improve leadership, teaching, communication, and management skills. The Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii (ALF) will organize experts to lead practical workshops to better position staff to guide local farmers and build the agricultural community. In addition, ALF will develop leadership workshops and networking events specifically designed to inspire, empower, and support women in the Women Farmers Network to increase their network and leadership skills.Objective 7: Increase outreach to NH/UR communities: GFH will share educational and training opportunities with NH and UR groups through the 'Aina Ulu network (a statewide group of NH culture- and place-based educational groups of which GFH is a member), Kamehameha Schools (landowner and private educational organization serving NH learners), the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (advocates and provide services to NHs), Ho'ola Veteran Services, and Oahu Resource Conservation and Development (ORCD; operates an active statewide Women Farmers Network (WFN)). GFH will also collaborate with CTAHR CE staff who work closely with NH organizations (including the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands) to help target outreach and customize training content for NH rural livelihoods and provide support to maintain the WFN. GFH will develop a multi-part video series for the public and for use in training program curriculum that will increase awareness and respect for NH agricultural practices and encourage more NHs to pursue agricultural careers. The videos will showcase traditional practices and share stories of how farmers are using them in modern systems and agribusinesses. Practices showcased will include NH protocols, planting calendars, water management, and regenerative farming methods.Objective 8: Develop curriculum and provide training for agricultural educators: GFH will collaborate with CTAHR CE Farm to School staff and the Kokua Hawaii Foundation (KHF) to strengthen youth agricultural education. GFH's existing curriculum will be modified to provide professional development training for ag-educators who teach at middle- and high-school levels. The curriculum will be experiential, entrepreneurial, place- and science-based. Workshops using the curriculum will be hosted. CTAHR CE staff will target workshop sessions to teachers in the Waianae community (71% part-NH or Other Pacific Islander).
Project Methods
GoFarm Hawaii has several procedures to capture data and assess program success.(1) To ensure that learning objectives are met, a rubric-based assessment developed specifically for this project will be used. Participants must earn a minimum score (154) to receive a program certificate; higher scores (at least 170) are required to be considered for the AgIncubator phase. Participants are assessed in the following areas: overall coach assessment (44 pts.), crop research presentation (10 pts.), produce sales (20 pts.), portfolio (10 pts.), business plan (20 pts.), field day presentations (20 pts.), fellow student evaluation (10 pts.), and quizzes (20 pts.).(2) Coaches will also collect pre- and post-class surveys for the AgXposure, AgSchool, and AgPro phases. Site coaches and management will evaluate and summarize the surveys. The training curriculum will be regularly reviewed and refined by management in response to survey, anecdotal feedback, and advisor/industry input on new, ideal, or efficient production methods. This will allow curriculum to maintain relevance and value to students. Additional opportunities for feedback will be offered through networking and educational meetings throughout the year.(3) The GFH AgBusiness Team will conduct a survey of clients on an annual basis. Metrics relating to revenues, labor, acreage, and AgBusiness Team service levels are gathered.(4) GoFarm will undergo an assessment, with the assistant of an independent evaluator: The evaluation will have both formative and summative components. For the formative evaluation (FE), the project will use principles of the utilization-focused evaluation framework developed by Michael Patton to help inform and improve program implementation. According to Patton "intended users are more likely to use evaluations if they understand and feel ownership of the evaluation process and findings." Upon grant approval, the evaluator will meet with the project leaders to validate evaluation questions and to set up a system to track progress. Data collection to measure demographics, evaluate skills (quizzes and rubrics), and determine outcomes will be integrated.The evaluation will also use evaluation principles developed by the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment of the University of Illinois College of Education. Culturally Responsive Evaluation (CRE) seeks to identify the project's impacts on the served community. It focuses on gaining information from consumers, stakeholders, project staff, and decision makers.The FE will address the research questions: Have scheduled activities been carried out as planned? What issues have been encountered? What adjustments (if any) are indicated by evaluation findings? Have these adjustments been made and to what effect?Information for the FE will be obtained through on-site visits, interviews with project staff, review of activities, and analysis of participant and grant data. At the end of each year, quantifiable and observable evidence will be collected and analyzed to determine whether activities achieved the intended outcomes as stated in the grant objectives and Logic Model and if not, what modifications can improve the success of the planned activities. The evaluator will meet with project staff at least semi-annually to discuss progress and assist in formulating corrective action if needed.The summative evaluation will examine the longer-term results of the project as it relates to the project goals. Interviews with and surveys from students, stakeholders, and staff that represent activities across the state will be conducted. Qualitative data will be analyzed and a final summative evaluation report will be completed within 30 days of the end of the project to evaluate the efficacy of the program and provide recommendations.