Kohala Institute operates 2,400 acres including the ahupua‘a of ‘Iole, one of the few such traditional land divisions still intact. Historically, ahupua‘a – land divisions stretching from the sea to the mountain – provided the diverse resources that nourished a community and included systems of cooperation and sustainability. We continue that tradition of sustainability today.

Our initiatives touch on multiple aspects of sustainability:

We operate a 5-acre pilot farm with a planned 30-acre facility showcasing successful and sustainable methods of growing food to meet Hawai‘i Island’s food security needs.

We offer programs that explore the connection we have to the food we eat through a multitude of agricultural methods and that examine how best practices across historic periods can coexist in one area to restore North Hawaii’s legacy as the breadbasket of food production.

We are constructing 12 housing units for farm laborers.