About the Ke Ō Mau Center

Ke Ō Mau Center: Name, Mission & Purpose

Ka Inoa

ō - n. Food provisions for a journey, especially at sea; sea rations. ho.ʻō To provide food for a journey.

mau - vs. Always, steady, constant, ever, unceasing, permanent, stationary, continual, perpetual; to continue, persevere, preserve, endure, last; preservation, continuation.

Our Mission

Learning from the Past to Improve our Future. Informed by Indigenous Hawaiian food systems, the Ke Ō Mau Center seeks to support projects that enact change across areas of social organizations, from the individual to communities, organizations, and governments. We are a transdisciplinary food system transformation hub grounded in indigenous knowledge and science, Hawaiian cultural practices, and complementary STEM disciplines, including the biophysical and social sciences and humanities.

Core Activities & Objectives

Center_Structure

 
Transdisciplinary & Applied Research: Conduct research to elevate traditional and agroecological systems in Hawaii that support sustainable and equitable food production and protect or enhance biodiversity and sustain environmental quality and human health.

Transdisciplinary Food Systems Education: Advise and support cutting-edge and transdisciplinary opportunities for learning and teaching about the science of agroecology and sustainable food systems to enable learners at all postsecondary level (undergraduate and graduate) to develop critical thinking skills, knowledge and achieve core competencies for advancing sustainable food systems in Hawai’i and beyond.

Community & Cross-Sector Engagement: Establish relationships between researchers, farming communities, planners and policymakers to facilitate real-world solutions to the pressing food system’s challenges in Hawai’i.

Policy Analysis, Assessment & Advising: In service of promoting sound food governance and planning aligned with the above objectives, the UH Center will conduct original research on policy obstacles and opportunities to the realization of a healthy, equitable, resilient and sustainable food system for Hawai’i and its people aligned with the UN SDGs.

Innovation & Partnership Models: Explore and assess new models for industry innovation and public-private partnerships within the UH System to support the agricultural industry.

Scientific Monitoring, Evaluation and Communications: Developing the scientific tools, technologies, research and feedback procedures for monitoring Hawaii’s progress relative to the realization of the UN SDGs in an adaptive management capacity.

 

Cultivating a Tradition-Informed and Regenerative Food System

Traditional Roles

  • Aliʻi Nui assessed productivity of moku and ahupuaʻa to ensure effective leadership and policy
  • Aliʻi coordinated ecoregional infrastructure to support appropriate agricultural forms
  • Konohiki oversaw place-specific resource management addressing community needs
  • Haku ʻIli managed Indigenous corporate units to ensure “undivided rights“ to land and continuous land productivity
  • Dedicated mahiʻai were supported by contributions from all to realize multiple benefits of health, education, and food production

Cultivating a Tradition-Informed and Regenerative Food System

Role of Center

  • Center Establishes a State-wide Measurement Framework 
  • Cultivate Physical and Social Infrastructure
  • Aid activation of community-based resource management and biocultural restoration
  • Incubate PPP to support smallholder agribusiness cooperatives
  • Policy and incentives that support localized and home food production

Leadership & Governance Structure

Executive Directors

  • Albie Miles (Professor, Sustainable Community Food Systems, UH West Oahu)
  • Noa Lincoln (Professor, Indigenous Cropping Systems, UH Mānoa)

Core Advisory Team

  • Parwinder Grewal (Dean, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources)
  • Keoni Lee (CEO, Hawai‘i Investment Ready)
  • Kamuela Enos (Director of the Office for Indigenous Knowledge & Innovation)
  • Alika Maunakea (Full Member, Cancer Biology Program)
  • Dexter Kinoshida (Deputy Director, Hawaii State Department of Agriculture)
  • Vassilis Syrmos (Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, University of Hawai‘i System)

Structure

Advisory Committee

  • Kyle Stice (Pacific Islands Farmer Organizations Network)
  • Lydi Bernal (Extension Agent, Farm to School and CTAHR Local Food Working Group)
  • Janel Yamamoto (Director, Go Farm Hawaii)
  • Harmonee Williams (Director of Regional Food Business Center, Hawaii Good Food Alliance)
  • Kevin Chang (Executive Director, KUA)
  • Amanda Shaw (Co-Director, Oahu Agriculture and Conservation Association)
  • Daniella Dutra-Elliot (Associate Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, Leeward Community College)