Harvest with Heart

CAFNRM Director Norman Arancon and our local student farmers distributing freshly harvested produce, supporting food secutiry in uncertain times

Hydroponics students in the College of Agriculture Forestry and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM) have been gathering the produce they started growing at the beginning of the semester for a few weeks now — but Wednesday’s harvest was extra special. It wasn’t just for a class project; it was a harvest with heart, intended to help fight food insecurity and uncertainty within the UH Hilo community.

“I hope this brings light to the importance of agriculture and food security in Hawaiʻi. It’s not just ‘if the boats don’t come’ that we need to worry about — we have a community of people here that need to eat, and in times of crisis and hardship everyone is going to wish there were more farms and farmers.”

Leilani Jensen, president of the UH Hilo Agriculture Club, spoke to the core values driving the project. “Here in Hawaiʻi, we take care of each other, it’s a part of who we are, and I know that if we ask for help, our community will be there to see it through,” said Jensen, who highlighted the many resources that exist on campus to support students, like Hale Lako, which they routinely help stock with free fresh produce. “As the government shutdown continues, even normally food-secure households may start needing support. If this happens, I hope we can extend our programs into the community through collaboration between local producers, businesses, the government, and volunteers.”

Leilani Badamo, UHHSA CAFNRM Senator and Basic Needs Committee Co-Chair says the initiative is a powerful demonstration of students putting their education into action. “This entire initiative reflects the idea of kaiāulu (community) and laulima (working together), showing how much our student community can accomplish when working together,” said Badamo.

CAFNRM leadership says they are thrilled to support such an important effort — adding that the produce giveaway is more than just free food, but a beautiful display of the spirit of aloha that thrives at UH Hilo even in uncertain times.

Previously Featured Stories