Inspiring Regenerative Agriculture in Hawai'i

Hawai’i Institute of Pacific Agriculture (HIP Agriculture) is a conscious movement of inspired individuals living a model of sustainability through direct engagement with the land, providing service to local youth, adults and community. Located in beautiful & historic North Kohala, HIP Agriculture operates a diverse farm that cultivates tropical and rare fruits, Polynesian traditional crops and market garden vegetables. The site serves as an educational farm & ecological learning center for all ages, offering Regenerative Farmer Training Programs, Farm Field Trips, Community Workshops and Farm to School class offerings. Through farming and hands-on education, HIP Agriculture takes a regenerative approach to land stewardship that honors indigenous wisdom, local food sovereignty, and the transformational power of returning to the land.

HIP Ag began as the Hawaii Youth Ag Program (HYAP) under the community non-profit umbrella, North Kohala Community resource center in 2008 led by the young farmers Dash and Erika Kuhr. A few years later, HYAP blossomed into HIP Agriculture and was officially founded in 2011 by a group of six young farmers and educators. The founders were inspired to create an organization that enabled them to share the abundance of food they realized could grow on agricultural lands in North Kohala. A vision was born to share this experience with the greater community in order to improve access, long term security and interest in local healthy foods. HIP Agriculture’s foundation is deeply rooted in the farm. With honor and gratitude, the medium in which we serve lies in the health of the ‘āina, which leads to the health of the people. The farm is a living diverse plant collection with fields of food grown in rows, a nursery and polyculture forests. This bountiful setting serves as the outdoor classroom for youth field trips, farm tours, community workshops, and farmer training.