Catalog 2024–2025

College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM)

Director: Norman Arancon, Ph.D.
Email: normanq@hawaii.edu

College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management Office
Business Office-121
Tel: (808) 932-7691
Fax: (808) 932-7037
Website: hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/cafnrm/

Professor Emeritus:

  • Fujii, Jack K., Ph.D., Entomology
  • Furutani, Sheldon, Ph.D., Plant Science
  • Hopkins, Kevin, Ph.D., Aquaculture
  • Sakai, William, Ph.D., Horticulture
  • Tanabe, Michael, Ph.D., Plant Science
  • Tsang Mui Chung, Marcel, Ph.D., Agricultural Engineering & Mechanization
  • Tsutsumi, Lorna, Ph.D., Entomology

Professors:

Assistant Professors:

Instructors:

Mission

The purpose of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM) is to provide quality education to assist individuals in acquiring the scientific knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills needed to practice environmentally sound, sustainable agriculture and to be productive and responsible global citizens. The program blends comprehensive classroom instruction with practical, technology-based education through use of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Agricultural Farm Laboratory and on-campus laboratory facilities. CAFNRM graduates skilled agriculturalists who can further develop and promote agriculture in the State of Hawaiʻi, the United States, the Pacific Basin, and other countries. The College is especially interested in moving agriculture in the tropical and semitropical areas of the Pacific Basin toward more economical and self-sustaining methods.

Goals for Student Learning

A student upon graduating from the College should have acquired the following knowledge, skills, and attitudes:

Knowledge

  • Scientific principles on which agriculture is based
  • Understanding the application of state-of-the-art techniques, processes, and concepts of environmentally sound agriculture, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical climates, in fields selected from:
    • tropical crops (ornamental plants, orchids, fruits and nuts, and vegetables)
    • aquaculture
    • livestock management (sheep, goats, cattle, swine, and horses)
    • forestry
    • natural resource management
  • Ability to develop and adopt innovative approaches to the production, post production, and marketing aspects of agriculture
  • An understanding of the role of agriculture in the changing geophysical, economic, and sociocultural world environment
  • An understanding of the central role food production plays in supporting sustainable communities

Skills

  • Ability to use existing technology for professional purposes
  • Proficiency with computer applications and Internet resources, including word processing, data management, presentation software, email communication, and Web information sources
  • Effective written and oral communication skills as required for professional objectives
  • Mathematical skills required for professional purposes
  • Analytic, critical thinking, and problem solving adeptness
  • Job finding skills
  • Ability to grow food, feed, fiber, and ornamentals in a sustainable, cost-efficient manner

Attitudes and Values

  • Aloha ʻaina: the commitment to stewardship of natural and agricultural resources
  • Aloha, Kokua, ʻOhana, and Laulima: the commitment to work with others to improve agriculture and to benefit the community.

Learning Outcomes for Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Program Learning Outcomes for the Animal Health and Management Speciality

  1. Students will achieve a working knowledge of biology, chemistry, and mathematics as a foundation for further studies.
  2. Students will achieve a basic understanding in the different animal science disciplines and be able to apply this knowledge to effectively manage and care for livestock.
  3. Students will have experiential learning opportunities with farm animals through routine hands-on laboratories held at the UH Hilo Agricultural Farm Laboratory. When available, field trips to local farms and ranches will also provide learning opportunities with farm animals. Students will gain hands-on experience with livestock to help enhance their competitiveness in future studies and careers.
  4. Students will use and refine their communication skills in various classes.
  5. 5: Students will develop and apply their computer skills to agricultural examples.

Program Learning Outcomes for the Aquaculture Speciality

  1. Students will have a thorough understanding of and be able to describe the worldwide extent and importance of aquaculture in the production of food, chemicals, recreation and environmental mitigation.
  2. Students will become familiar with and be able to compare and contrast the major types and components of aquaculture systems, species and factors affecting system sustainability.
  3. Students will be able to identify global cultural, social, economic and historical factors that affect aquaculture development with an emphasis on the Hawaiʻi and Pan-Pacific region and be able to describe specifically how these factors affect aquaculture.
  4. Students will be able to explain the relationship between aquaculture, society and the natural environments for the major aquaculture areas around the world, including potential impacts (positive and negative), and how environmental and social challenges can be solved. Emphasis will be placed on Hawaiʻi and the Pan-Pacific region, although regions such as Latin America and SE Asia will also be covered.
  5. Students will have experiential learning opportunities (e.g., hands-on experiences at laboratories, farms, demonstration centers) to acquire skills and abilities including hatchery, growout, harvesting and marketing of aquaculture species to enhance their competitiveness in their future careers.

Program Learning Outcomes for the Tropical Agroecology Speciality

  1. Acquire and integrate the principles, concepts, and applications of biology, chemistry, soil science, and mathematics as they apply to natural and agrarian "crop-based" plant ecosystems.
  2. Synthesize knowledge and use insights to describe, analyze, solve, and report on scientific problems involving tropical agroecology and related fields.
  3. Exhibit proficiency in the use of technology, critical thinking, and quantitative tools used in agroecology applications.
  4. Appreciate and communicate effectively with peers, mentors, and the larger community through internships, work- related activities using oral, written and visual presentation skills and contemporary networking/social technologies.
  5. Demonstrate professionalism, proficiency and practical skills in various areas of crop production, and demonstrate awareness of the impact of agriculture on our environment, economy.
  6. Successfully pursue diverse careers or enter graduate programs in plant science, agroecology, bioeconomy and other related fields.

Special Aspects of the College

College Facilities

A unique feature of the College is the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Agricultural Farm Laboratory. On 110 acres of land, students can experience practical learning in various enterprises such as: anthuriums, ornamental foliage, hydroponics, floriculture plants, orchids, forestry, vegetables, sustainable agriculture (including integrated nutrient and pest management principles), livestock production, beekeeping, tropical fruit, and aquaculture. Because direct application of newly gained knowledge is an integral part of the College’s educational goals, many laboratories and courses are based on the farm.

On campus, the CAFNRM building provides laboratories for many of the courses in horticulture, plant tissue culture, animal science, entomology, plant pathology, plant physiology, and agribusiness. Students can also utilize the laboratories and campus greenhouses for special projects in directed research courses. Additional laboratory facilities for agronomy, aquaculture, natural resources, and soil science are located beachfront at the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center. Hilo’s location in the center of a large farming community provides opportunities for field trips to many diversified agricultural and aquaculture enterprises.

The farm also houses the developing pastures, equine arena, and covered pavilion for courses, flower shows, and community related events.

Note: Shoes or boots are required in certain laboratory classes. In addition, suitable eye protection may be required in certain laboratory classes.

CAFNRM Agriculture Students Organization

This organization is open to every student who joins CAFNRM. Students are expected to help in maintaining a collegial atmosphere that is nurturing and enables the growth of the CAFNRM ʻohana. Through Organization activities, students make life-long friendships, learn business and management skills, participate in group activities, foster collegiality and civility, and bring respect for the agricultural, forestry and natural science disciplines and the issues that surround them.

Curricula

The College offers the Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) in these areas of specialization:

  • Animal Health & Management
  • Aquaculture
  • Tropical Agroecology

Full descriptions of the specialties are linked below. Please be aware that in order to provide students a well-balanced education, a good portion of a typical curriculum consists of College of Arts and Sciences and College of Natural and Health Sciences courses in addition to CAFNRM courses. Types of courses offered by CAFNRM are as follows:

  • Agriculture (AG): Provides a broad preparation in the basic and applied sciences of modern agriculture.
  • Agribusiness (AGBU): Provides a strong background in the business aspect of agriculture, including management, sales and distribution.
  • Agricultural Economics (AGEC): Provides an understanding of economic theory and economic policy and efficient management with limited economic resources in the production of food and fiber.
  • Agricultural Engineering (AGEN): Provides basic mechanical skills and engineering principles required for the student to be successful in modern agricultural enterprises.
  • Agronomy (AGRN): Provides the theory and practice of field-crop (food, fiber and feed) production and soil management.
  • Animal Science (ANSC): Provides a wide variety of courses that integrate genetics, health, housing, management, nutrition, physiology, reproduction and evaluation of livestock.
  • Aquaculture (AQUA): Provides a broad understanding of the scientific basis, design and management of aquaculture systems and fisheries.
  • Entomology (ENTO): Provides basic knowledge on insects and their habitats as well as how to control insect pests.
  • Forestry (FOR): Provides the background for the development and management of forestry and agroforestry, ecology, conservation and product utilization
  • Horticulture (HORT): Provides an extensive base of horticultural practices such as grafting and pruning, the cultivation of fresh produce (fruits and vegetables), herbal, and ornamental crops that are of economic interest in the tropics and subtropics, as well as advanced techniques such as hydroponics, plant tissue culture, and hormonal manipulation of plants.
  • Natural Resources (NRES): Provides a multi-disciplinary systems approach to understanding and managing the environmental resources of island ecosystems, and their relevance to coastal zones in general.
  • Plant Pathology (PPTH): Provides the understanding and management of plant disease, the mechanisms by which pathogens produce disease, and the interactions between pathogens and host.
  • Plant Physiology (PPHY): Provides the understanding of plant growth and development.
  • Soil Science (SOIL): Provides the background for the properties of soil and soil management, with an emphasis on the role soils play in environmental studies as well as agriculture.

In order to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, students must not only fulfill the requirements for the major but also meet all of the University’s other baccalaureate degree requirements. (Please see the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements.) Students wishing to make timely progress toward graduation are urged to pay careful attention to all degree requirements. In addition, when planning a schedule of courses, it is imperative to be aware of course prerequisites and the frequency with which courses are offered. See CAFNRM Courses below for course information.

To assist students in planning their schedules, CAFRNM posts curriculum sheets on its website. In addition to using these guides, students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor each semester before registering.