Taro, a crop plant sacred to Native Hawaiians, saw its 2007 harvest fall to its lowest numbers in more than a half century. - Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom

Taro Security and Purity
Task Force applications

By Sterling Wong / OHA Policy Advocate

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is seeking applicants for members of a task force that will develop recommendations and programs to help protect kalo, a crop plant sacred to Native Hawaiians that is being decimated by alien diseases and insects.

Recently named Hawai'i's state plant, kalo is used to make poi, the staple of the traditional Hawaiian diet, and is considered to be the elder sibling of Native Hawaiians, according to their traditions. However, kalo production fell to just 4 million pounds harvested in 2007, a record low since statistics were first documented in 1946. This shortage has been blamed on a number of factors, including diseases and alien species, such apple snails, as well as the lack of water and taro land.

Act 211, which was signed by Gov. Linda Lingle in July, calls for the creation of the Taro Security and Purity Task Force, which will be administered by OHA. The aim of the task force is to bring together the various kalo stakeholder groups, including farmers, Native Hawaiians and scientists, for the common goal of helping the plant once again thrive. The task force will attempt to find solutions to the problems facing the crop, while avoiding the divisive issue of genetic modification research.

The task force will include one representative from OHA; the state Department of Land and Natural Resources; the state Department of Agriculture; the University of Hawai'i; the Hawai'i Farm Bureau Federation; 'Onipa'a Nā Hui Kalo, a statewide organization of kalo farmers; and a yet-to-be-selected botanical garden.

The task force will also include two kalo farmers from each of the following islands: Kaua'i, O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i and Hawai'i. OHA is seeking applicants to fill these farmer seats on the task force.

Applicants must fulfill the following qualifications:

1) be a farmer actively growing kalo

2) have at least three years of kalo farming experience;

3) be growing kalo on the island they seek to represent; and

4) be able to participate in task force activities, including traveling to other islands to attend meetings.

As the administrator of the group, OHA will select the best qualified kalo farmer applicants to serve as task force representatives. In addition, OHA will cover the costs for holding the task force meetings, as well as the travel fees for the taro farmer representatives.

The deadline to send applications is Sept. 15, 2008. Applications must be written and include the applicant's full name, address, a brief description of their fulfillment of the four qualifications, and a short list of what they believe are the most important issues facing kalo.

Please send applications to Sterling Wong of OHA's Native Rights, Land and Culture division, via e-mail to sterlingw@oha.org, or snail mail to: 711 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 500, Honolulu, HI 96813. For information, call 594-0248.