Parwinder Grewal, who became the new dean of the University of Hawaiʻi’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources in March 2024, is driving significant changes to address the challenges faced by local agriculture in Hawaiʻi.
In his 16 months on the job, Grewal has taken decisive steps to hire new faculty, secure substantial funding, and lay the groundwork for a new undergraduate degree in farming.
Under his leadership, the college has made strides to reverse a worrying trend: a staff shortage, aging facilities, and a prolonged decline in funding over the past two decades.
Hawaiʻi has historically had problems with local food production, importing up to 90% of its food items. Grewal aims to combat this statistic by helping the state achieve the ambitious goal of purchasing 50% of its food locally by 2050.
Despite the uphill battle, he remains optimistic about creating a more self-sustaining food economy.
The college has seen little progress in cultivating local agriculture, further complicated by families struggling to find affordable food options. In response, the state recently assembled a temporary working group to devise a plan for enhancing Hawaiʻi’s food system.
Their final report outlined pressing issues, such as insufficient farm labor, high production costs, and limited access to land and capital, which need to be tackled to bolster the state’s efforts in agriculture.
To echo these sentiments, Grewal changed the college’s name from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, keeping the CTAHR acronym intact.
This new focus aims to create a cohesive effort within the college, which offers 25 different degrees ranging from fashion design to bioengineering, centered around sustainable local food production.
“Fifty percent by 2050 is a perfect goal for Hawaiʻi,” Grewal stated during an interview with Civil Beat. “In my role as the leader of this college, I am aligning all my resources and faculty to deliver on that goal.”
Grewal embarked on this vision by engaging with faculty, farmers, industry stakeholders, and legislators to build support for the college. His active involvement has garnered attention and financial backing from the state legislature, as noted by Representative Kirstin Kahaloa.
Grewal’s consistent presence in the community helped to establish a cross-sectional support that has translated into recent investments in the college.
“It’s not just about what’s good for CTAHR,” Kahaloa noted. “He wants to do what’s good for all of agriculture and food systems.”
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the college’s enrollment and budget allocations have suffered, but it features a commendable local presence, with 43% of its students being Hawaiʻi residents and 13% identifying as Native Hawaiian.
In a significant milestone, Grewal secured $12 million aimed at revitalizing the college’s extensive network of more than 20 extension stations used for agricultural research, educational outreach, and community engagement.
Many of the college’s facilities date back to the early 1900s and are in dire need of repairs. Lawmakers highlighted this concerning reality in a recent House Committee analysis, which emphasized that a lack of proper staffing hampers the college’s ability to support agricultural research and extension stations crucial for local farmers.
Hunter Heaivilin, advocacy director at the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union, has also noted a decrease in extension representatives available to assist farmers directly. He expressed concern that extension agents may not be equipped to offer the hands-on technical support that agricultural producers need.
“The primary research might not always translate directly into benefits for Hawaiʻi producers,” Heaivilin remarked. “I would hope that the expansion would focus on supporting family farmers and the majority of producers across the state.”
Grewal echoed this sentiment, recognizing the necessity for his faculty to shift from scholarly research towards applied methods of assisting farmers in practical ways.
“That collaborative partnership will make us a model land grant institution,” he asserted, indicating his commitment to uniting academic research with real-world application that can assist local agricultural communities.
The state funded the college with $4 million earmarked for repairs and maintenance at the Waimānalo station. Another $6 million will support the construction of an indoor controlled environmental farm at the Mānoa station, alongside securing funds for a dedicated agent position at the Kona station.
Grewal emphasized that indoor agriculture can mitigate land use and water efficiency issues while being a more viable option in urban areas.
However, Heaivilin expressed reservations regarding the feasibility of such high-capital projects for small and mid-sized farms in Hawaiʻi, urging for research that looks into cost-effective solutions adaptable for local agricultural producers.
Amending the college’s shrinking capacity is paramount, as it has faced significant cuts in faculty and services over the past decade.
Critical resources, like the college’s soil analysis lab, were shut down six years ago, severely constraining support for local farmers. Many extension agents, who once served as a vital link between researchers and farmers, have been increasingly absent in the field.
Grewal stated, “We have lost agricultural engineers and plant breeders who are essential for developing new varieties.”
Under Grewal’s leadership, CTAHR aspires to restore its lost capacities, with reviving the soil analysis lab topping his priority list.
This facility could serve as a vital tool for farmers, providing them with essential information about their soil’s composition and the optimal nutrients needed for successful cultivation appropriate to Hawaiʻi’s unique volcanic soil.
“We need to ensure producers can understand and work effectively with their soil,” said Heaivilin, emphasizing the significance of soil health in rebuilding the agroecosystem.
While Grewal is relying on the support of the legislature for expanding resources such as the pest and disease diagnostic center and the seed lab, he recognizes the complexities involved in passing funding legislation.
As funding priorities shift, particularly in light of declining federal resources, Kahaloa cautioned that aligning CTAHR’s objectives with the broader university community remains a challenge.
Grewal is also addressing the pressing issue of the state’s farm labor shortage, as the average farmer is now over 60 years old — the highest in the nation.
Youth interested in farming face numerous barriers, often dissuaded from entering agriculture due to a lack of affordable housing and resources for starters.
Many children of farmers have sought opportunities elsewhere, compelling the industry to attract youthful, motivated individuals back into agriculture.
This motivation fuels Grewal’s aspiration to introduce a new three-year undergraduate degree program intended to train the next generation of sustainable agricultural producers.
He hopes to have the program operational by 2027, citing a growing interest among young students keen to impact the world through more sustainable farming practices.
“Today’s students want to farm and want to change the world,” he pointed out, emphasizing a collective commitment to enhancing local agricultural production.
While Grewal acknowledges that not every issue may be resolved overnight, he remains hopeful that bolstering the local workforce and agricultural output can progressively elevate the state’s production capabilities.
Despite the ongoing challenges, including affordable housing for laborers, Grewal’s perspective remains positive.
“Wherever I go, we focus on increasing Hawaiʻi’s food and agricultural product self-sufficiency,” he remarked, underlining the importance of community, family, and ecosystem resilience within his vision for the college and its future.
His proactive approach and dedication to fostering local agriculture could mark a pivotal turn in the landscape of farming in Hawaiʻi, potentially realizing a more self-sufficient and resilient agricultural system for future generations.
image source from：civilbeat
