The state Department of Agriculture has awarded $2,684,350 in 579 grants to small-scale agriculture projects in food-insecure areas, the government office announced recently.
Nearly 7,400 applications were received under the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program, which assists agricultural agencies in increasing the quantity and quality of locally grown food in food-insecure communities. Of the 579 grants awarded, 347 were on Oahu, 67 on Maui, 32 on Kauai and 133 on Hawaii Island. Grant amounts ranged from $750 to $5,000, according to the announcement.
“There was unprecedented interest in the micro-grants program this year,” Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, said in a statement. “Those who were awarded the grants submitted proposals that were well thought out and most likely to achieve the grant purpose of increasing the quality and quantity of locally grown foods in areas where access to food is limited.”
Funding for the grant program was provided by the USDA under the 2018 Farm Bill, which provides support to farmers, ranchers and forest managers, according to the USDA website.
Projects that received funding included those for fencing to protect crops and seedlings from axis deer damage, purchasing of seeds and tree crops, purchasing of soil amendments, refrigeration and freezing capacity, canning supplies for food preservation, purchasing of garden towers and raised beds for vegetable production, building shade houses, and more, according to HDOA.
Proposals were chosen based on their descriptions, the number of beneficiaries, and the level of food security in the area, according to the announcement.
A full list of grant awards are posted on the website for the State Procurement Office, listed under “micro-grants."
