UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AGRIBUSINESS EDUCATION, TRAINING AND INCUBATION (AETI) PROJECT

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1009832
• Grant No.: 2016-38426-25614
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $1,528,439.00
• Proposal No.: 2016-04050
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2016
• Project End Date: Aug 31, 2018
• Grant Year: 2016
• Program Code: [RD]- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions

Recipient Organization
UNIV OF HAWAII
3190 MAILE WAY
HONOLULU,HI 96822

Performing Department
Office of Research Services

Non Technical Summary
Hawaii imports an estimated 85% of food consumed and has the distinction of being the most isolated populated landmass in the world, thus is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in import supplies. This makes Food Security and Hunger, one of the six Farm Bill Priority Areas, a major challenge for Hawaii. Hawaii's Food Security would be strengthened by producing more of the food supply locally, thus larger numbers and more productive agribusinesses are needed, as well as a large and well-trained workforce to support this expansion. By producing more food locally, Hawaii would also address Childhood Obesity Prevention (of particular relevance to the NH population) as the nutritional content of locally grown food is generally higher than for imported food products.In the past several decades, agriculture has transitioned from large-scale, corporate, export-oriented food production to small, entrepreneurial agricultural entities that produce primarily for the local market. This new mode of production requires a workforce trained in both science and business practices. Small-scale farmers and agribusinesses also benefit from on-going support in product development, new production methods, and marketing. The project will impact Hawaii's agricultural industry, a vital contributor of community-appropriate economic activity and jobs for the State, particularly in rural areas having high NH and minority populations. A thriving agriculture industry - agribusiness - is essential to Hawaii's economic, environmental and social well-being. Special emphasis at the University of Hawaii (UH) is placed on identifying and validating Hawaiian cultural knowledge and resource-use practices. By grounding the project in important components of Hawaiian culture, the efforts are better able to stimulate and support Native Hawaiians (NH) and other underserved minority residents to engage agribusiness in ways that are culturally appropriate, economically advantageous and personally meaningful.Project outcomes include a higher number of graduates in food and agricultural sciences, and natural resource management; and increased productivity and profitability of Hawaii agribusinesses.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	6099	3020	67%
602	6299	3100	33%

Knowledge Area
602 - Business Management, Finance, and Taxation; 903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other; 6299 - Marketing, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education; 3100 - Management;

Keywords

agribusiness

agriculture

education

hawaii

incubation

native hawaiian

training

university

Goals / Objectives
Over the past 10 years, the major goals of the AETI Program have remained stable: To improve agricultural education, and agribusiness success in Hawaii. Program efforts during this time have produced changes and outcomes that will remain institutionalized within the University of Hawaii System and the curriculum after the conclusion of the project. There are new certificate programs that allow students to receive specialized training that lead to greater opportunities, and better-paying jobs. Windward Community College has a program that prepares students for jobs in Agripharmatech; Leeward Community College created new research training plots and maintained existing garden areas to serve as teaching grounds for the Plant Biosciences and Tropical Agriculture Program (PBT) and 14 other courses. These are just a few examples of how ANNH funding will have on long-term impacts the agricultural education system in Hawaii.This initiative is based on strong public and private support for an agriculture system that is diversified and technologically sophisticated, and is able to adjust to the challenges of global competition while maintaining a commitment to protect and preserve the natural environment. The AETI program supports UH, Hawaii state, and federal goals of developing sustainable, and economically viable, food and agricultural enterprises. Specific emphasis is given to building leadership skills, and student capacity to support agribusinesses in Hawaii's rural agricultural communities, especially those with high numbers of NH. Success of this program depends on being sensitive to Hawaii's unique environment, including its diverse geography, climates, and cultures.Through this cohesive effort to support education and diversified agriculture in Hawaii, the project addresses the broader issues of food security, preserving agricultural land and Hawaii lifestyle, diversifying the State's economic base, and reducing the State's carbon footprint. Coupling these enhanced programs with high quality agribusiness and market development training is empowering Hawaii residents to break the negative cycle of resource and employment insecurity. Project strategies are designed to support individuals and businesses by increasing equitable access to UH, state, and federal agribusiness development resources. Also, project efforts will enhance education and training opportunities for students and residents from rural agricultural communities.Objectives:The two major objectives of the UH AETI project are as follows:Objective 1 - Develop the local agricultural and food production workforce through education and training.Objective 2 - Expand local agricultural and food production through more productive agribusinesses.The project supports the development of a trained workforce by preparing students for agriculture related careers in the private sector, government, and academia, and focusing on leadership development skills, student experiential learning, student recruitment, retention, and educational equity, and agribusiness management and marketing.The project supports the expansion of local agricultural and food productions through training, workshops, and one-on-one coaching to increase financial success of participating agribusinesses, increase number of new agribusinesses, facilitate introduction of value-added agricultural products, and enhance agribusiness knowledge of "agripreneurs" (agricultural entrepreneurs).

Project Methods
AETI's basic goals are to strengthen Hawaii's food and agriculture industries and to develop a local work force that can support the growth of these industries. Consortium-wide methods for achieving these goals include: (a) a collaborative, statewide, multi-island effort, (b) articulated education and training at multiple UH campuses, (c) a coordinated agribusiness workforce development plan (integrated training and retraining), (d) providing community-focused business oriented support, and (e) leveraging public-private partnerships to advance agribusiness development. The consortium shares knowledge and coordinates existing and future assets across the network of campuses such that the value of the collaborative resources is greater than the sum of the parts.To further stimulate collaboration, the consortium members set aside grant funds to support additional collaborative projects. Targeted synergistic projects include: (a) Centralized marketing and PR for student recruitment (including videos, literature, and school presentations); (b) Centralized output and outcomes data collection and analysis support (including generic surveys and individualized training); (c) Internships (students from all campuses placed with local business and industries); and (d) Exchanges, both internal (between consortium member faculty and students) and external (the exchange program between Hawaii and Alaska continues to grow). The individual consortium member reports include additional information on specific collaborations between campuses and with the Hawaii/Alaska exchange program.Specific data collection plans were developed for each of the three main target populations of the project: (a) students in UH AETI-supported programs, (b) businesses receiving AETI services, and (c) participants in special events such as high school fairs, K-12 teacher training or cooking demonstrations. The project Co-PDs helped to design, then selected evaluation clusters that best fit AETI activities on their own campus and helped to develop data sets and related questions that are meant to be used across the entire consortium. Tracking progress and accomplishments is aided by the administrative support of AIP (including a shared website to facilitate communication and data transfer maintained by AIP) and CTAHR's fiscal support; shared leadership (Lead Institution Chair rotates periodically); shared funding (budget distributed among all eight campuses and AIP); and a consortium contact database.Dissemination of products and outcomes include articulated courses between campuses; shared knowledge (including guest lectures, field trips, workshops and references); and a quarterly newsletter for distribution to stakeholders (produced and distributed by AIP). Additionally, the AETI developed a shared consortium web site that is being used to facilitate the flow of information to all levels of the project partnership and encourage peer collaboration in Hawaii and between faculty in Hawaii and Alaska working on joint Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian program initiatives. A number of additional websites have also been developed by the various consortium members to communicate with specific target audiences and are described in the individual sections of this proposal. Major outreach efforts (including workshops, videos, brochures, and training sessions) are being directed toward K-12 students, businesses and entrepreneurs in Hawaii's underserved rural communities, as well as the primary agribusiness sectors. Project workshops are also held at Cooperative Extension sites appropriate to the topic and rural communities involved. These are complemented by specific efforts to publicize upcoming events at appropriate agricultural functions such as farmer's markets, produce vendor sites and community-based farm projects via mainstream media.

Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/18

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? One of the two Hi!Ag grant objectives is to develop the local agricultural and food production workforce through education and training. The student tracking system provides a great deal of information on how well the consortium is meeting this objective in terms of numbers of students served, their persistence in meeting their educational goals and their degree completion. These students persist in working toward their educational goals: Sixty-nine percent of Hi!Ag students in Fall 2017 enrolled in Spring 2018. These students stick to their academic plans: For both associate and bachelor level degrees, Hi!Ag students achieve their goal in less time than their national peers. This timely completion is most evident at the bachelor level, with 91.5 percent of Hi!Ag students completing the degree in less than eight years, compared with 85.8 percent nationwide. AY2017/18 Student Data The AY 2017/18 data base represents a total of 698 students. Of the students reported in this cycle, 579 were new to Hi!Ag activity, while 119 had benefitted from grant support in one or more prior years. In the tables below, results of the analysis are reported in most cases by gender. Where appropriate, results are also reported separately for Native Hawaiian students, since the AN/NH NIFA funding targets this demographic. In the following analysis, all data for UH students as a whole are taken from the UH website: https://www.hawaii.edu/about-uh/. Data have been analyzed along the following dimensions: institution, gender and race, age, degree objective, courses taken, and degree completion. Institution Students were reported for the following institutions: Institution M F ND Total % Total Hawaii CC 25 7 1 33 4.70% UH Hilo 59 69 2 130 18.60% Kauai CC 13 18 3 34 4.90% Leeward CC 75 76 4 155 22.20% UH Manoa 3 6 0 9 1.30% UHMC 27 18 4 49 7.00% Windward CC 107 161 20 288 41.30% 309 355 34 698 The low numbers from UH Manoa (UHM) reflect the fact that Hi!Ag funds are not generally used for direct student aid or to support courses. Kapiolani CC (KCC), although a member of the Hi!Ag consortium, similarly used its funds for other activities. Gender/Ethnicity Only a negligible number of students did not report gender or ethnicity. Of those that did report, half (51.0 percent) are female, with 44.3 percent male. This gender distribution for females is somewhat different from the overall UH distribution of 56.3 percent female/43.7 percent male reported for Fall 2017. The percentage of students identifying themselves as Native Hawaiian make up more than a third of the total, 36.1%. Fall 2017 UH student demographics reports 22 percent Native Hawaiian for the system. It is the evaluator's understanding that many students who identify themselves as "Mixed Race" are part Native Hawaiian. Within the data set, 111 individuals identified themselves as "Mixed Race." In 2017/18, Native Hawaiian and Mixed Race students accounted for a little more than half (52 percent) of all students. Ethnicity M F ND Total % Total Caucasian 72 71 2 145 20.80% Native Hawaiian 100 148 4 252 36.10% Mixed Race 49 58 4 111 15.90% Pacific Islander 16 8 2 26 3.70% Asian 59 57 5 121 17.30% Other 13 14 16 43 6.20% 309 356 33 698 44.30% 51.00% 4.70% Age Students enrolled in Hi!Ag-supported activities are spread over all age groups from 15 to 70; however, almost two-thirds (65.2 percent) are traditionally-aged college students in the 17-24 age group. The age distribution for Native Hawaiian students in this category (17-24) is considerably higher (72.2%) than that of the total population. The small number (12) of pre-college aged students (aged 15-16) is attributable to dual-enrollment programs with a local high school. Pell Grant Status The data base provides information on students who are Pell-grant eligible and thus could be considered to have limited financial resources. The data shows that a little less than half of all students (48.4 percent) are Pell-eligible. A little more than half of Native Hawaiian students (54.8 percent) are Pell-eligible. In both populations, more females than males are eligible. For UH as a whole, 35 percent receive a Pell grant. Degree Objective Students in the tracking system are pursuing a variety of degree objectives, from certificate to Master's level degrees. However, the data indicate about three-fourths of both the general and the Native Hawaiian population are aiming for an associate degree: 64.9 and 67.1 percent respectively. This is not surprising given that most of the Hi!Ag enrollment is at the community college level. However, as will be seen in the second section of this report, a significant number of students do go on to achieve a bachelor degree. Degree Objective M F ND Total NHM NHF ND Total CA/CO 9 9 0 18 0 3 0 3 AA 121 160 11 292 49 76 1 126 AAS 31 14 5 50 6 7 2 15 AS 59 52 0 111 16 12 0 28 BA 17 25 1 43 7 15 0 22 BBA 4 3 1 8 1 0 0 1 BS 43 55 1 99 8 12 1 21 Other 3 3 6 Nondeclared 33 37 1 71 13 23 0 36 320 358 20 698 100 148 4 252 Courses The tracking system contains information on all of the student's academic activity for the reported academic year. Thus, one student could take more than one course. The data set contains a duplicated count; that is, the 698 individual students account for 1,012 "seats". Degree Completion During the 2017/18 academic year, 131 reported students completed degrees: 18.8 percent of total students. For students who took more than one certificate/degree--for example, a certificate and an associate degree--the highest degree is reported in the table. Of the degrees, 37.4 percent were in agriculture or ag-related disciplines and 45.8 percent in a STEM discipline. CA AA AAS AS BA BS Total Agriculture 8 0 9 0 0 12 29 Agripharmatech 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 Environmental Studies 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Hawaiian Studies 0 6 0 0 0 0 6 Liberal Arts 0 59 0 0 0 0 59 Tropical Forest Mgt 2 0 0 3 0 0 5 Plant Biology/Tropical Ag 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 Other STEM 2 0 0 0 0 9 11 Other 0 2 0 0 4 0 6 TOTAL 23 67 9 6 5 21 131 Persistence Persistence looks at students who did not complete a degree or who completed a certificate or associate degree only during Fall 2017 to see if they continued their education in the next semester. The following table indicates the number/percentage of Fall 2017 students who enrolled in Spring 2018 in any course (69.0 percent) and in an agriculture-related course (32.7 percent). Numbers have been adjusted to account for Fall 2017 graduates with a bachelor-level degree or higher, since these students would not generally enroll in Spring 2018. M F ND Total NHM NHF Total Any course 133 136 16 285 48 58 106 Ag/Ag related 67 63 5 135 15 25 40 Total fall 200 199 21 420 63 83 146 Fall 2017 grads 4 3 0 7 0 1 1 Total eligible 196 196 21 413 63 82 145 % fall/Spring 67.9% 69.4% 76.2% 69.0% 76.2% 70.7% 73.1% % Spring in ag 34.2% 32.1% 23.8% 32.7% 23.8% 30.5% 27.6%

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Scheffler, P.Y. 2017. The intersection of culture and ecology in Ireland. Community Colleges for International Development Quarterly Newsletter. June 2017. Pp 22-23.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Scheffler, P.Y. 2017. Agriculture workforce development project. National Institute of Food and Agriculture Project Director Meeting. June 2017. Purdue, IN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Scheffler, P.Y. 2017. Water Runs Through It: A cross-curriculum understanding of water in a forest resources program. Grand Challenges Summer Institute on Water. May 2017. Honolulu, HI.

Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The Hi!Ag consortium targeted Native Hawaii and other underserved populations in Hawaii with efforts to deliver sciencebased learning, such as formal classroom instruction, practicum experiences, innovative curriculum development, internships, workshops, extension and outreach. Summaries of consortium member programs are as follows: Within GoFarm Hawaii (formerly Agribusiness Incubator Program), project efforts targeted Native Hawaiians and other minorities of Hawaii who are current or aspiring producers of agricultural products or other products using locally-grown agricultural products as primary ingredients. Within the UH Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), the target audience was college students, primarily those enrolled in CTAHR; prospective students in K-12, community colleges, UH's four-year institutions, and from outside Hawaii; educators in K-12 and higher education in Hawaii; and the general public attending outreach events promoting CTAHR and other academic/training programs in agriculture and natural resource management in Hawaii. Within University of Hawaii Hilo (UHH), target audiences included post-secondary students, K-12 level students, community members, faculty and staff. Efforts to reach this audience included formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, or practicum experiences; experiential learning opportunities; extension and outreach. Within University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC), the target audience was primarily Native Hawaiian Preschool-12th grade students, and Native Hawaiian undergraduate students enrolled in the Agriculture & Natural Resources (AGNR) program or students taking classes within that program. Project efforts to reach the P-12 target audience included informal training during campus tours with activities. Formal training for undergraduate students was delivered with college credit courses that include lecture and lab. Within Hawaii Community College (Hawaii CC), the target audience was Forestry and Agricultural students, State and Federal agencies that work in Agriculture or Natural Resource Management, local high schools students, and the Native Hawaiian community. Program efforts to reach members of the Native Hawaiian community included technical support to the following programs: Hawaiian Community Gardens, Farmer's Association at Keaukaha-Panaewa Hawaiian Homelands, the College Campus produce sales, and model home landscaping. At Kapiolani Community College (Kapiolani CC), the target audience for project efforts were the following groups: Students K-12 grade in public and private schools; participants in community youth programs - middle to high school; preschool-aged children and their care givers; teachers in public and private schools; and staff of non-profit community based organizations delivering obesity prevention and intervention, healthy eating, and farm-to-table education. At Kauai Community College (Kauai CC), the primary target audience was Agriculture majors at Kauai CC. The secondary audience is non-major students enrolled in Agriculture, Plant Biology, or Tropical Agriculture classes. Native Hawaiian community members were served through non-credit gardening and farming courses. Prospective students, Preschool through high school, were targeted during special events, such as Ag Awareness Day. At Leeward Community College (LCC), the target audiences for project efforts were current LCC undergraduate students and instructors, K-12 teachers and students, and community members of Native Hawaiian ethnicity. Project efforts to reach target groups included formal education (classes in botany, horticulture, education) and informal education (tours and workshops for teachers, students, community members) in the area of plant sciences and agriculture. At Windward Community College (WCC), the target audience was recent graduates, current declared students, and students taking classes within the Agripharmatech program certificates (Certificate of Achievement in Agripharmatech:Ethnopharmacognosy, Certificate of Achievement in Agriharmatech: Plant Biotechnology, and Certificate of Competence in Plant-Food Productions and Technology). Efforts to reach the target audience included engaging these students in research and extra-curricular activities (on/off campus events as student ambassadors) and program efforts that positively affected student learning efficiency and retention. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Hawaii CC Breadfruit Symposium September 2016 La`ie Oahu: PD and TEAM Program director, Orlo Steele attended the 3-day International conference, to become updated with new information on breadfruit production, processing and marketing. AG Tourism Symposium, September 2016, Hilo Hawaii: AG instructor Lew Nakamura and Business Professor Robert Yamane attended the one-day conference at UH Hilo to learn about Agriculture tourism on Hawaii Island. He`eia Fishpond restoration workshop, May 2017: TEAM Program director, Orlo Steele attended a one day workshop on Fishpond restoration at the He`eia fishpond and at nearby Coconut Island Marine Institute. American Association for the Advancement of Science, June 2017, Waimea Hawaii Island: Co-PD Pamela Scheffler attended national conference to share information with fellow faculty and students. North American College Teacher of Agriculture Conference, June 2017, Purdue University, Indiana: Co-PD Pamela Scheffler attended NACTA meetings and USDA ANNH meeting to improve on AG teaching practices and meet with Hawaii and Alaskan USDA consortium representatives. Hawaii Conservation Conference July 2017 in Honolulu: AG Instructor Lew Nakamura attended the 4-day conference to learn about natural resource management in both Hawaii and the Pacific which will help him to connect students with employment opportunities. Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge - Native tree restoration workshop Dec 2016 and Mar 2017: AG Instructor and students participated with 2 two day weekend workshops at Hakalau NWR where they learned how to propagate and out-plant important montane forest species. Leeward CC North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference in June 2017: Attended by Daniela Elliott (PD). IUCN World Conservation Congress in September 2016: This professional development activity allowed the PD and the faculty collaborator to receive training on world conservation approaches to agriculture and natural resource management. Windward CC IUCN Congress at Hawaii Convention Center, September 3, 2016: Attended by PD. 2016 Hawaii STEM Summit. Ko'olau Ballroom, September 30, 2016: Attended by PD and Co-PD. Recombinant Plant Biosafety Training, April 6, 2017: PD and Co-PD. PD serves as NACTA Western Regional Director, June 2016 - June 2018; PD becomes NACTA Life Member, NACTA Campus Ambassador 2013 - present, and NACTA International Committee member, 2011 - present; PD received NACTA Educator Award at Purdue University, June 2017. CTAHR, UH-Hilo, UHMC, Kauai CC North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference in June 2017: Program staff attended and presented project-related posters. Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities - Academic Programs Section (APLU-APS) Advisors' Training Program, Reno, NV: Attended by 3 advisors (CTAHR). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?GoFarm Hawaii reaches out to communities of interest through numerous speaking engagements, websites, monthly enewsletter and articles in other's newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, and during one-on-one consulting. GoFarm maintain the following websites www.gofarmhawaii.org, www.aiphawaii.com/, www.fb.com/aiphawaii, and www.fb.com/gofarm.hawaii; and twitter account @gofarmhawaii. To reach the communities of interest, CTAHR-AETI program outreach activities are posted on the college's activities website http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/Activities.aspx. Articles on selected AETI projects also have been publicized in CTAHR's weekly internal e-bulletin, "CTAHR Notes", the college's monthly external e-bulletin, "CTAHR Alumni and Friends" E-bulletin, and CTAHR's quarterly "Impact Reports". These enhance public understanding and interest in our college and in our fields of study. UH Hilo reaches the communities of interest through program outreach activities and partnerships with student and community organizations. UHMC maintains a FaceBook page for college activities, (https://www.facebook.com/pages/UH-Maui-College-Agriculture-and-Natural-Resources-Department/234570036579111), and it is regularly updated with pictures of course projects, program events, staff and student accomplishments and other agriculture or conservation events held in the community. At Hawaii Community College, information was disseminated to communities of interest through lecture and lab courses as well as program websites [http://hawaii.hawaii.edu/forestteam/]. For outreach activities, school visits, career fairs and community events, a combination of verbal communication, posters, and program brochures were used to educate the public. At Kapiolani Community College, the Train-the-Trainer program is designed to disseminate the results of the training and upcoming outreach opportunities, through on-going community partnerships with the YMCA after school child care programs for elementary schools, teens afterschool, intersession and summer programs. Communities of interest are also reached as our teacher -trainees utilize their knowledge in developing their curriculum and classroom projects. At Kauai Community College, AETI results are discussed in regular agriculture classes and farm fairs. In addition to this, students' internship results are displayed (in the form of posters) on college building walls. Leeward Community College reaches the communities of interest through garden tours to community groups and while doing outreach in schools - to both students and teachers. Additionally, LCC works with the Native Hawaiian Student Support Coordinator in a continuous effort to reach the communities of interest. Further, LCC efforts reach community members through the native plant database [http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/] and the Seed Share. The database is a great community resource that is used by both students and professionals. It connects local nurseries to landscape architects, home growers, and educators to promote the purchase, use and understanding of local native plants. Program staff respond to requests from students and teachers in different schools who are using the database for projects by offering more information and connecting people to resources in the community. Windward Community College reaches the communities of interest through participation at community events as a guest speaker, participation in professional conferences, articles in community publications, and discussions during Bioprocessing Medicinal Garden Complex tours. References to the WCC programs appear in community magazines, newspapers, and college communications (websites, videos, campus newspaper, Ethnopharmacognosy Series publications and during one-on-one student counseling). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Develop the local agricultural and food production workforce through education and training Objective 2: Expand local agricultural and food production through more productive agribusinesses As we work to develop the local agricultural and food production workforce through education (Objective 1), we are very proud when our target audience reaches important milestones, such as graduation from our programs; and articulation to another program. At Hawaii CC, during this reporting period, there were 3 Associate of Science (AS) degrees and 2 certificates awarded to TEAM students, and 8 Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees and 9 certificates awarded to AG students. Six of the 11 associate degree graduates have transferred to AG or Natural Resources programs at UH Hilo. Overall, approximately 70% of graduates find work in their field. At Kauai CC, during this reporting period, five students received an AS degree in Plant Biology and Tropical Agriculture (PBT); also, two Kauai CC students enrolled in graduate programs at University of Hawaii at Manoa. At Windward CC, 18 CA Agripharmatech: Ethnopharmacognosy, and Plant Biotechnology diplomas were awarded to 11 students at May 2017 Commencement. Over 80% of CA Agripharmatech graduates transferred to higher-degree institutions, majoring in botany, microbiology, tropical plants and soil sciences, plant and environmental biotechnology, bioengineering, pre-med, pharmacy, dental hygiene, biology, natural resources and management, and nutrition. Another 11 students earned a CO Plant-Food Production and Technology. These graduates entered STEM-related workforce and/or are completing their CA in Agripharmatech. Other milestones may be smaller, but no less important in a student's development. Internships, undergraduate research opportunities, and student leadership opportunities provide valuable insight in a future career, and the hands-on tools to compete in the job market. Across our consortium, we provided 167 opportunities during this period. At Hawaii CC, the project provided internship stipend support for 5 TEAM, 4 AG, and 2 Hawaiian Lifestyles (HLS) students. These students gained over 100-hours of valuable hands-on training with potential employers. The program also provided tuition support for 5 AG and 8 HLS students. Additionally, Leeward CC provided five students with Plant Biology Internships, which included a mentorship component. Findings indicate that mentorships, through work/learn experiences and internships, are vital for underrepresented minority students who are considering the field of agriculture as a career option. Hands-on work/learn experiences support students financially, and mentorship provides the guidance on everything from research communication, community/industry interactions, to career development. At LCC, the program has supported several students through this pathway, and retention and graduation rates improved. We have also seen how research, publications, and conference presentations, impact the overall school experience and provide meaningful work experience. Zooming in even further, to find improvements at each campus, in each classroom, we find the main accomplishments of this project have to do with the impacts on student learning. The undergraduate research program at Leeward CC has focused on problem-based, experiential learning rooted in the local environment. It offers students taking classes in Horticulture, Botany, and Agriculture, research experience embedded in the class curricula. The goal is for students to experience the rewards of scientific discovery by solving problems that are relevant to their lives and community. Engaging with challenging issues through applied scientific inquiry provides students with the opportunity to appreciate the vital role of science in their lives and society at large; and in doing so, they learn to be successful, motivated scientific practitioners, both inside, and outside of the classroom. On this same theme, we can see how even one experience can influence a career choice. At Kauai CC, fifteen Kauai CC students visited Leeward Community College for interisland learning exchange in agriculture. Of the cohort, three students are currently at UH Manoa, pursuing higher education. Students, who are proud of their programs, and their successes, are one of our best recruitment devices. At Hawaii CC, approximately 90% of the produce that AG students grow at the UH Panaewa farm is used for the HawCC culinary program, and remainder is sold to faculty and staff for the "Eat Healthy and Fresh" Program. The Forest TEAM program students grow both native and culturally important plants with seedlings being donated to community conservation projects and given away to schoolchildren during Earth Day. Recruitment into the agricultural sciences can happen at any time; and at any level. Our program introduced 2304 K-12 students to a future in the agricultural workforce. Recruitment programs supported by Hi!Ag helped incoming and potential CTAHR students learn about targeted fields and career opportunities and decide to major in CTAHR. Hi!Ag supported outreach activities, increased awareness and attitudinal changes in youth and teachers of targeted careers, helped youth learn about agriculture and career opportunities, and increased student confidence. Resulting in more students entering life science-based fields, such as agriculture and bioengineering. At Kapiolani CC (KCC), 134 youths acquired farm-to-table applied nutrition culinary skills, and 645 K-12 students acquired knowledge regarding organic edible gardening - showing these students the exciting diversity of the agricultural workforce. At Windward CC, 12 high school students completed the Certificate of Competence Plant-Food Production and Technology, from Early College High School (ECHS). Of the cohort, two graduates are pursuing CA Agripharmatech at WCC. In our recruitment efforts, we have found another way to reach potential students is through K-12 teacher training. At CTAHR, with in-kind support, 20 teachers are better trained in agriculture, and were awarded professional development credit needed for promotions. Program work toward to expand local agricultural and food production through more productive agribusinesses (Objective 2) included the program purchases at Hawaii CC. The AG and TEAM programs purchased a new nut cracker and oil screw press, fruit dehydrator and essential oil distiller to improve post-harvest and value added education. Also, land management and surveying tools were upgraded with new GPS receivers, weather stations, height meters and a drone.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2017 Citation: Liang, G., Lin, H.Y., Lu, C., Sim, S., Steele, O.C., and Geib, S.M. (in press). Optimization of DNA Extraction and qPCR Assay for Host-Parasitoid System of Braconicae parasitoids within Tephridtid fruit flies. Journal of Economic Entomology.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Hamill, N, Patee, L., Scheffler, P., and Clyde, K. 2017. Collaborative models for study abroad: Ireland as a model. Presentation at Community Colleges for International Development Annual Meeting, Feb 16-17, Houston, TX.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Scheffler, P.Y. 2017. Three Hawaii CC agriculture related programs that make a difference to student learning. Presentation at USDA Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Education Grant Annual Meeting, Jun 27-28, Purdue, IN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Scheffler, P., Setty, S., and Scheffler, T. 2017. Small landholder agroforestry and forest use in ethnically diverse communities in South India. Presentation at Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation Annual Meeting, July, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: White, I. 2017 Agripharmatech Program. Presentation at USDA Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Education Grant Annual Meeting, Jun 27-28, Purdue, IN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: White, I., Li, H.W., Michael, T. 2017 Early College Certificate Program at Kailua and Castle High Schools. Presentation at NACTA Conference, Jun 28Jul 1, Purdue, IN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wahl, N., and Dutra Elliott, D. 2016. Circulating Seeds: Why Your Library Needs a Seed Share and How to Make It Happen. Hawaii Library Association Conference, Nov 2016.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Hanohano, A., Wiehl, T., Diaz, F., and Dutra Elliott, D. 2017. Morphological Diversity of Hawaii's uala (Ipomoea batatas) Cultivars in an Effort to Engage with Cultural Knowledge. Presentation at 27th Society of Economic Botany Conference, Jun 4-9, Braganca, Portugal.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Dutra Elliott, D., Fermahin, A., and Rivera Vega, M. 2017. Varietal Crop Research as a Tool to Engage with Agrodiversity: An Open Door to Interdisciplinary Learning for STEM and Farmer Training Programs. Presentation at 27th Society of Economic Botany Conference, Jun 4-9, Braganca, Portugal.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Martiney, C.L., and Marahatta, S.P. 2017. Can sunn hemp be used for experiential teaching? NACTA Journal 61:S128 (Abstr).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Marahatta, S. P., Masanori, K., Umetsu, R. K., Girod, M. B., Mason, K., Petersen, R.A., and Gabour, E. 2017. Study abroad and student exchange program in agriculture and its impact. NACTA Journal 61:S87 (Abstr).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Chock, M.K., Marahatta, S.P., Girod M., Gabour, E., Petersen, R., Umetsu, R. and Koike, M. 2017. The Impact of Shortterm U.S.-Japan Student Exchange Experiences. NACTA Journal 61:S84 (Abstr).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mason, K., and Marahatta, S.P. 2017. Effects of sunn hemp (Crotolaria juncea) on nematode community structure. Poster presentation at the Undergraduate Students Research Experience Symposium, Apr 21, Honolulu, HI.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Martiney, C. L., and Marahatta, S.P. 2017. Effects of sunn hemp and pigeon pea on corn germination and nematodes. Poster presentation at the Undergraduate Students Research Experience Symposium, Apr 21, Honolulu, HI.