NEWS RELEASE

Kamehameha Schools and the Pauahi Foundation announce the 2016 Mahi‘ai Match-Up winners

Honolulu, HI – Two budding young businesses will share $35,000 in seed money as the winners of the 2016 Mahi‘ai Match-Up Agricultural Business Plan Contest sponsored by Kamehameha Schools (KS) and the Pauahi Foundation.

Each business also received an agricultural lease from Kamehameha Schools with up to five years of waived rent, and start-up seed money from the Pauahi Foundation.

The winner of the first place $20,000 prize was Kaivao Farm, LLC.  Utilizing traditional organic and sustainable agroforestry methods, Kaivao Farm plans to specialize in the cultivation of ‘ulu and cassava on 9.5 acres in Pāhoehoe, just north of Hilo on Hawaii island. 

Along with their main starch crops, team members Angela Fa‘anunu, Kalisi Mausio, Keone Chin and Haniteli Fa‘anunu will cultivate wauke, hala and other secondary crops for use in education and practice of traditional art-forms like kapa-making and ‘ulana (weaving). 

“Kaivao Farm will serve as a living classroom with a holistic, ‘āina-based approach, centered on the resources of Pāhoehoe ahapua‘a” said Angela Fa‘anunu with Kaivao Farm.

“We are guided by the vision of building capacity of our local communities by increasing access to healthy food and learning opportunities through practicing cultural traditions that maintain the integrity of the ‘āina and ourselves,” Fa‘anunu added.  

The second place, $15,000 winner was Maha‘ulu – a ‘ulu production, processing, and distribution cooperative planning to be based on 5.8 acres in Punalu‘u on the island of O‘ahu.  Team members include Makani Ortogero, Jessica Nāpua Casson, Nick Kawelakai Farrant, Ted Nakamura and Clement Paishon. 

By collaborating with existing ‘ulu farmers and establishing shared cooperative processing, branding and distribution channels, Maha‘ulu aims to increase the local availability of O‘ahu-grown ‘ulu and restore ‘ulu as an affordable and accessible staple food.  In order to maintain environmentally and economically sustainable farming operations, they will cultivate secondary crops such as vanilla, mushrooms and honey in addition to ‘ulu.

“I’d like to thank this year’s applicants for being a part of the Mahi‘ai Match-Up Business Plan Contest,” said Sydney Keli‘ipule‘ole, Sr. director of statewide operations for Kamehameha Schools.

“We received many creative plans from innovative farmers and entrepreneurs this year.  I encourage them all to keep developing their ideas and continue the work to help feed our communities and lead us to a sustainable Hawai‘i.”

Working to help mahi (cultivate) new farmers and integrate its educational, financial, agricultural and sustainability efforts consistent with Hawaiian cultural principles, Kamehameha Schools is providing more opportunities for aspiring farmers this year with the introduction of Mahi‘ai Mentorship – created through a partnership between KS and GoFarm Hawai‘i. 

Four mentorship recipients – Leolani Kini and Noe Mano from O‘ahu, Charleston Mahiai from Maui and Trevis Simola from Kaua‘i – have been selected to participate in the GoFarm program.  Valued at $3,000, participants will be given a combination of knowledge, experience, and support designed to assist them in becoming viable production growers.

The Mahi‘ai Match-Up winners and mentorship recipients were revealed at a July 30 fundraising gala at Dole Cannery’s Pōmaika‘i Ballrooms. Proceeds from the event will go toward agricultural scholarships and grants to support local agriculture and sustainability in Hawai‘i. 

Mahi‘ai Match-Up is a partnership by Kamehameha Schools and the Pauahi Foundation. Lead sponsors, Ulupono Initiative, Hawai‘i Farm and Food Magazine and Hi‘ilei Aloha, LLC along with numerous others, generously joined in to help make the contest and gala possible.

Judges included Kamehameha Schools VP of Community Engagement & Resources Kā‘eo, Duarte, Ulupono Initiative general partner Kyle Datta, Hawai‘i Farm and Food Magazine editor Martha Cheng, Hi‘ilei Aloha capacity building manager Martha Ross and Chef and co-founder of The Pili Group Mark “Gooch” Noguchi.  For more information about Mahi‘ai Match-Up, visit www.pauahi.org/mahiaimatchup.