Daniel Dunnom and Aaron Shipman are senior agriculture majors focusing on tropical plant science and specializing in agroecology.
2018-2019 scholarship winners Aaron Shipman (center) and Daniel Dunnom, flanked by scholarship committee members (from left) Sonia Jarvik, Shelly Nowaki, and Barbara Heintz. Courtesy photo Hilo Orchid Society.
Daniel Dunnom and Aaron Shipman are senior agriculture majors focusing on tropical plant science and specializing in agroecology. Dunnom also is seeking a beekeeping certificate.
The scholarship pays a tuition grant of $1,500 per semester to deserving UH Hilo undergraduates majoring in agriculture and natural science programs.
Quite a few well-intentioned academics, more often than not in the social and ecological sciences, do us no favor by over romanticizing the pre-European contact past of Hawai‘i’s agriculture.
Hawai‘i rightly takes great pride in its rich agricultural history, the mālama ‘āina (deep care, stewardship, and respect for the land) of the Native Hawaiians, and no doubt much can be learned from the past. This being said, most conservation and resource management discussions in Hawai‘i pertaining to the revitalization of local agriculture tend to be far too insular, and focused on Eden-like interpretation of the past and anecdotal commentary for impactful progress to be made on viable paths forward. Yes, pre-European contact agriculture was self-sufficient, organic by practice, and did not rely on external inputs, however many bio-cultural, technological, and socio-political parameters have changed since that time. And there is strong evidence that pre-European contact agriculture and aquaculture had much greater impacts on Hawai‘i’s environment than previously thought (Kirch, 1982; Anderson et al., 2017). Native Hawaiian upland field systems based largely on intensive ‘uala (sweet potato) cultivation in the highly valued locations of greater natural soil fertility would have eventually run into sustainability challenges induced by gradual soil nutrient depletion (Vitousek et al., 2004; Hartshorn et al., 2006). In this regard it is also worth noting that no till aboriculture/agroforestry based on cultivation of ‘ulu (breadfruit) trees had some distinct environmental and subsistence agriculture advantages and should be further investigated (Rolett, 2008).
By Chantal Vos, Researcher, and Norman Arancon, Associate Professor of Horticulture.
Norman Arancon collects leaf samples from sweet potato field. Photo by Chantal Vos.
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, L.) production along the Hamakua Coast can be increased by addressing nutrient imbalances in the soil. Sweet potato is an important crop in Hawai‘i both for local consumption and as an export crop and more than 90 percent is produced along the Hamakua Coast on the island of Hawai‘i (Miyasaka and Arakaki, 2010). Most commercial sweet potato farmers on Hawai‘i Island do not test their soil or crops on a regular basis for potential nutritional problems. Fertilizers are often applied indiscriminately based on prior experience or current practice from other growers, whether these areas have been cropped for many years or are newly cleared for cultivation. Soil fertility is often not optimal, even on land that has never been cultivated with sweet potato (virgin land). During crop production, available nutrients are lost through leaching, run-off, and crop harvest. Nutrient balances are distorted, and fallow periods have demonstrated limited capacity to adequately restore and build soil fertility. This being said, fallows will generally reduce many disease and pest problems (Bennett et al., 2012).
Students in the UH Hilo ag class demonstrated a few very important basic concepts and skills in plant production.
By Aaron Shipman, Student, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management, UH Hilo.
Hort 262 students teach Hilo High School students some basic methods in plant production.
As the semester rapidly draws to a close, the students of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM) at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, showcased their skills through community outreach. This year, the Introduction to Horticulture (Hort 262) class instructed by Norman Arancon, associate professor of horticulture, visited the students of Hilo High School supervised by their instructor Christian Atalig.
There was information on sustainable agriculture, farming, animal production, bee harvesting, and aquaponics by the students of horticulture, animal science, entomology, beekeeping, sustainable agriculture, value-added products and aquaculture.
By Justin Ziminsky.
Animal science students and farm animal exhibits.
Kawika Carduz, Ag 205 student, showcased value-added products using eco-friendly ingredients
Assistant Professor of Entomology Jesse Eiben (at left) and students in entomology showcased insect collections.
(Left to right) Professor of Entomology Lorna Tsutsumi and Dean Bruce Mathews gave welcome remarks.
The College of Agriculture Forestry and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM) at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo opened its annual Ag Fair Day on April 27, 2018. The fair was very educational for students and visitors alike. There was a lot of information on sustainable agriculture, farming, animal production, bee harvesting, and aquaponics available for everyone by the students of horticulture, animal science, entomology, beekeeping, sustainable agriculture, value-added products and aquaculture.
Photos of students from the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management, involved in hands-on activities on and off the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo campus.
Ag Fair Day
Ag 230 students and their produce display on Ag Fair Day, April 27, 2018.
Garden tours given by UH Hilo ag students are a regular contribution to Earth Day Fair celebrations since the gardens were established in 2009 by former students.
Lehua Patnaude, student of AG230, led tours in the gardens by the UH Hilo library lanai during the annual Earth Day Fair, April 20, 2018.
Some 205 students from local pre-K and high schools all over the Big Island toured the gardens by the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Library Lanai during the celebration of this year’s Earth Day. The gardens were showcased by the Ag230 students of spring 2018. This has been a regular contribution of the class to Earth Day celebrations since these gardens were established in 2009 by former students.
