Cultivating Self-Sufficiency and Community Resilience

In the landscapes of Kohala, a movement is taking root, championed by kūpuna David and Carol Fuertes. As detailed in Puanani Fernandez-Akamine's article, "Kohala’s Backyard Revolutionaries," published in Ka Wai Ola, this initiative centers on fostering food sovereignty and community resilience through immersive agricultural education.

Over a decade ago, the Fuertes' established Kahua Paʻa Mua, a nonprofit organization committed to providing ʻāina-based education for both youth and adults in North Kohala. Their mission is to rejuvenate traditional Hawaiian farming practices, blending them with contemporary methods to enable residents to cultivate their own food and achieve self-reliance. Carol Fuertes articulates this vision:

"Kohala is rich in Hawaiian culture. The ways they made use of the land from the mountains to the ocean is what we are trying to bring back to these young people; to have them realize that they can feed themselves and their family from the ʻāina."

Central to their efforts is the ʻOhana Agricultural Resilience (OAR) program, which adopts a family-oriented approach to farming education. Participating families receive comprehensive training in areas such as crop cultivation, natural farming techniques, equipment maintenance, animal husbandry, and aquaponics. Each family is allocated two 100-foot rows on the farm to plant crops of their choice. Upon completing the program, families are provided with resources like backyard aquaponics systems, natural farming pig pens, or chicken tractors, empowering them to continue food production at home.

The Fuertes' dedication to sustainability is evident in their embrace of Natural Farming techniques, which involve creating homemade fertilizers using locally sourced materials. This approach not only reduces reliance on commercial products but also enriches the soil, leading to healthier and more abundant harvests.

Looking ahead, Kahua Paʻa Mua plans to develop the Kohala Agricultural Processing Area (KAPA) at their Kapanaiʻa site. This facility will include a certified kitchen and a vegetable processing area, addressing a critical need in local agricultural infrastructure. As David Fuertes points out:

"People don’t realize that the hardest thing in agriculture is processing. We can grow good vegetables but if we cannot process it to get it to market that is a big puka."

By providing essential facilities for processing and creating value-added products, KAPA aims to empower local farmers, enhance food security, and stimulate economic growth within the community.

The work of David and Carol Fuertes exemplifies how grassroots initiatives can drive meaningful change. Through education, cultural preservation, and community collaboration, they are nurturing a self-sufficient Kohala, deeply rooted in the wisdom of its ancestors.

For a more in-depth exploration of their inspiring journey, read the full article: Kohala’s Backyard Revolutionaries.