New canoe crop cultivation course grows opportunity across Hawai’iʻs food economy

A new training opportunity offered on Hawaiʻi Island is available to neighbor island residents who can commit to classes this spring.

Applications are now open for GoFarm Hawaiʻi’s “Cultivating Canoe Crops Course,” which will explore canoe crops — kalo, ʻōlena, kō, maiʻa, lāʻī, and ʻulu — through their cultivation, characteristics, and value chains.

Participants will engage in hands-on learning at the GoFarm ʻĀlae training site in Hilo, along with field visits to production and processing locations. The course will also provide exposure to business and market opportunities, including value-added processing.

Inter-island participants are responsible for their own travel costs, though potential stipends may be available for Native Hawaiian participants who have completed the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaiian Registry Program.

Sponsored by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Kūlana ʻĀina program, the Cultivating Canoe Crops Course is designed to strengthen Native Hawaiian economic resilience by activating ʻāina as a foundation for workforce pathways, business development, and intergenerational prosperity.

Kūlana ʻĀina is OHA’s food systems initiative that supports Native Hawaiians in expanding participation across Hawaiʻi’s evolving food economy.

From cultivating canoe crops to refining professional culinary techniques, participants gain the training, mentorship, and buyer relationships needed to expand market presence and support long-term stability, contributing to a more resilient and locally-rooted food system.

The Cultivating Canoe Crops Course is open to all Hawaiʻi residents 18 years old and older. The schedule is as follows:

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays (online via Zoom)
  • April 9, April 23, April 30, May 14 and May 28
• 8:30 – 12:30 p.m. Saturdays (in-person on Hawaiʻi Island)
  • April 11, April 25, May 2, May 16 and May 30

Applications are due on March 15, and applicants will be notified by March 20. The course is free, but applications are required.