Food

Jon Parziale is the director of agro-ecology for an organization called Common Ground Kauai. HPR visited Parziale on the North Shore of Kauaʻi to find out what “agro-ecology” is and what it means for food sovereignty in the islands.

There are continued talks of using wild game to help manage invasive species and fight hunger, but a host of issues still need to be addressed before that can become a reality.

A deal is underway to protect over 1,000 acres in Maunawili Valley, located in the ahupuaʻa of Kailua. Groups are working to keep the prime agricultural land in production to help with food security — and they’re also stepping up efforts to raise $500,000 toward that effort.

Nearly 280 proposed charter amendments have been submitted to the Honolulu Charter Commission, including several with a focus on improving farming or ensuring that residents don’t go hungry.

Jen Akiyoshi and Bao Tran of Giovedì in Chinatown spoke to HPR contributor Sarah Buchard about being named in Bon Appétit magazine as one of the 20 best new restaurants in the country.

Local journalists Sophie Cocke and Janis Gin discuss the state of Hawaiʻi's media; Giovedi is named one of the 20 best restaurants in the U.S. by Bon Appetit

Hawaiʻi Foodbank is set to receive $5.5 million from the state Legislature. The funding comes from Act 310 – the Legislature's grant program that allocates $50 million in relief to nonprofits impacted by federal funding cuts.

Hawaiʻi Appleseed recommended that the Honolulu City Council work on four areas to improve food security on Oʻahu: disaster planning, summer feeding programs for children, kūpuna programs, and direct funding for food banks.

The second food insecurity study by the Hawaiʻi Foodbank indicates that 32% of local households didn’t have enough food between mid-2024 and mid-2025 — up 3 percentage points from the organization’s first report covering 2023.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Whitmore Village for an agriculture and food hub meant to help Hawaiʻi businesses and feed students with locally produced food.