BFRDP Projects

The project goal was to develop a highly collaborative network between stakeholders in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands to increase the efficiency of training and extension efforts and to share information and knowledge. The network was led by the Marine and Environmental Research Institute of Pohnpei (MERIP) in the Federated States of Micronesia, in partnership with the University of Hawaii – Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (UHH-PACRC, an 1862 Land Grant Institution), the Hilo Aquaculture Cooperative (HAC), Kua'aina Ulu ‘Auamo (KUA) and the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) and aimed to increase the number of beginning aquaculture farmers in their respective regions in addition to providing new farming practices and diversification to existing beginning aquaculture farmers.  The collaborative partners,with MERIP as the lead applicant were awarded a large standard grant totaling $397,668 over 2 years which was supplemented by a COVID-19 response grant of $197,970 for a total of $595638.

Objectives were as follows:
1. Increase the number of beginning farmers participating in sustainable aquaculture through traditional extensionpractices such as hands on training and workshops.
2. Increase the scale and effectiveness of beginning aquaculture farmers already operating through a multi-tiered approach to extension and training;
3. Conduct cross-site visits for trainers with aview to diversifying commodity production and techniques across regional
entities.

Outcomes of the project were projected have 35 new beginning farmers participating in aquaculture and 40 existing farmers acquiring new production or marketing skills. Twenty existing farmers were projected to have increased production and 1000 people were to have access to publications and outreach on engaging in aquaculture. Ten agency or educational institutional personnel (trainers) were estimated to have improved aquaculture technical capacity.