Agroforestry funding application now available for Hawai‘i farmers

The Nature Conservancy and partners including the Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative are launching a 5-year project to catalyze significant private investments into the agroforestry industry while increasing farmers’ incomes and delivering environmental benefits such as enhanced carbon sequestration, soil health, biodiversity and water quality.

The Expanding Agroforestry Project is funded by the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative, led by the United States Department of Agriculture.  

In 2022, the USDA announced more than $3.1 billion in funding for 141 projects, including $60 million for this agroforestry project – of which $36 million will be disbursed directly to producers as direct incentive payments to implement agroforestry across 30 states.

As Hawaiʻi’s regional lead partner, the Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative will coordinate and distribute funding with The Nature Conservancy along with other national partner organizations to create 30,000 acres of new agroforestry plantings in the U.S. over the next five years.

“We are very excited to be a part of this innovative project with the Nature Conservancy and expect it will accelerate adoption of agroforestry practices among farmers across Hawaiʻi,” said Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative General Manager, Dana Shapiro. “While eligible projects are not limited to those that include ʻulu (breadfruit), our priority as Hawaiʻi’s regional lead organization will be to support commercially viable initiatives that contribute to the revitalization of traditional cropping systems and to the islands’ food security.”

Interested farmers are encouraged to apply to the Expanding Agroforestry Project Incentive Payment Program by submitting their applications by Dec. 31. Future open application cycles are scheduled for March and July of 2024. Specific agroforestry practices supported include alley cropping, silvopasture and windbreaks.

Through this project, the Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative will contribute to sustainable practices in the region, promoting the cultivation of traditional staples such as ‘ulu. 

For more information visit: https://ulu.coop/eap.