Malama Kaua'i (MK) will complete the upstart of the Moloa'a 'AINA Center in partnership with the Moloa'a Irrigation Co-op (MIC) to address the loss of the previous Anahola Food Hub site due to COVID-19, and address the urgent needs of Moloa'a areas 69 commercial farms in stabilizing their revenue streams due to COVID-19 interruptions.
COVID has had significant effects on Malama Kaua'i, including the closure of our previous Food Hub site in Anahola. With the feeding programs funding running out, many farmers now need to find new opportunities to preserve their produce into value-added products for longer shelf life, and/or have FSMA-compliant washing/processing/storage space to meet the demands of markets like the DOE's 'Aina Pono farm-to-school program.
The new Food Hub will also allow for aggregation and distribution for growing direct-to-consumer markets for conjoined distribution by hui members.
The Moloa'a Food Hub will create immediate opportunities for processing, aggregation and distribution to assist farmers in increasing revenue. The Moloa'a Irrigation Co-op (MIC) is the perfect location for our island's next food hub installation due to its concentration of professional farmers and food producers, existing utilities hookups and potable water access, and MK's current ownership of needed equipment ready to be relocated to the site. Long term impact is food self-sufficiency.
