2023 ʻAi Pono Challenge Prize Draw Winners
It seems like a perfect time as we gather and prepare food for the upcoming holidays to circle back to this year's ʻAi Pono Kauaʻi Eat Local Challenge and the importance and meaning around eating and sourcing local food.
This year's Kauaʻi challenge had 170 registered participants and 111 partners across the island that collectively are helping to transform our local food systems and restructure our food economy.
A huge congratulations to this year's winners Naylene Aki, Kaylee Kim, Erin Medeiros, Stefanie Craig and the grand prize winner, Sam Smith!
It's always a pleasure to see the delicious recipes and meals that people share and we want to take this opportunity to highlight a few of this year's participant posts.
Submitted by @maliaandvictor
Submitted by @stefaniegrows
Submitted by @thehodgeshomestead
We want to circle back to the fact that no matter where you are, sourcing local, eating in season and what supports your local community and environment makes a difference. If you are supporting YOUR local (particularly) organic and sustainable farmers, you are an active part of improving the local (and global) environment, water systems, pollinator health along with your community and its economy. Together, we are better managing our resources, which restores important ecological functions and habitats –– ultimately fighting back against the rapid extinction of the world's species.
We all know there are many benefits to sourcing and eating local food and we remind you of 4 fundamental ones that will inspire you to source local wherever you can this holiday season and beyond!
Support Your Local Economy: By directly supporting local food producers, our dollars stay in Hawaiʻi and increase local food production. This is an important step toward creating a circular and regenerative economy, keeping more money on the island, and diversifying our economy away from tourism.
Cultural Revival: By supporting Kānaka Maoli farmers and indigenous foodways, more Kānaka Maoli can reconnect with their ancestral lands, culture, history, and identity. “Restoring Hawaii’s food systems requires restoring land ownership back to Native Hawaiians to farm, opportunity for Hawaiians to learn their genealogy, as well as decolonization of the mind.”
Community Connection: Buying local allows you to build deeper community connections. When you know who’s producing your food and where it comes from, “this holds everyone more accountable and hopefully helps us make better choices when faced with tough decisions, like whether to spray or continue rotating crops, or whether to purchase a cheaper, yet imported product. The ability for a customer to put a name and face to a brand may change their buying habits in the future.”
Health & Environment: Local food doesn’t have to travel as far to arrive on your plate, so it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our carbon footprint. Locally grown food can also have higher nutrient values due to its freshness and less pesticide/chemical residue. This can all positively impact our environment and health.
Wherever you are, and whenever you can, thanks for eating local!
In solidarity,
Fern Holland, HAPA Community Organizer & Scientist
About Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action
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The Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA) is deeply committed to championing social, economic, and environmental justice throughout Hawaiʻi. Recognizing the interconnected nature of food systems, we underscore that the challenges plaguing these systems are not isolated from broader social, economic, and environmental concerns. We believe in an integrated approach that addresses these interdependencies to create a just, equitable, and sustainable future for Hawaiʻi.
Contact: info@hapahi.org | (808) 212-9616
