Maui Nui 2025 Food Summit

The Maui Nui 2025 Food Summit, held on Friday, October 10, at Kamehameha Schools Maui, brought together over 150 farmers, ranchers, educators, and community members from across Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i for a day of inspiration and collective action. This free community event focused on strengthening local food systems and identifying shared solutions to increase food production and resilience across Maui Nui.

The summit featured an agriculture resource fair connecting producers with programs and services, dynamic panel discussions with local farmers and ranchers, and a presentation of the Maui County Food and Nutrition Security Plan—a roadmap toward a more abundant and self-sufficient future. Participants also took part in small group discussions designed to encourage knowledge sharing and build partnerships across islands.

With generous support from the Hawai‘i State Department of Health SNAP-Ed Program, the event provided travel stipends to ensure representation from Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i producers and educators.

Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling it the best Maui Food Summit yet. Participants praised the engaging format, the resource fair, and the inspiring keynote address by Jerome Kekiwi Jr., whose message energized the crowd and set an optimistic tone for the future of local agriculture.

Now in its third year, the Maui Nui Food Summit continues to grow as a platform for connection, innovation, and community-driven progress toward food security. Attendees are already looking forward to next year’s event and the continued momentum toward a stronger, healthier, and more self-sufficient Maui Nui.

For more information about the Maui Nui HEAL Coalition or the Maui Nui Food Alliance, please contact the Maui Nui HEAL Coalition Coordinator Ariana Tenaglia at Ariana@hiphi.org.

Photo credit to Austin Conroy