City releases draft of first-ever O'ahu Food Systems plan and invites public comment

HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency (CCSR) has released a draft of the first-ever Oʻahu Food Systems Plan and is encouraging the public to provide feedback.

The Oʻahu Food Systems Plan is a strategic, implementation-focused action plan that defines the City’s role in O‘ahu’s food system over the next five years. It outlines more than 70 specific actions the City can take to shape a food system that reflects the needs, values, and priorities of Oʻahu’s communities. 

The plan is organized around five guiding values:

• Pono – Food and Nutrition Security
• Mālama ʻĀina – Environmental Sustainability
• ʻĀina Aloha Economics – Local Food Economies
• Ea – Food Sovereignty
• Ola Loa – Long-Term Resilience

To review the draft plan and submit comments, visit: resilientoahu.org/foodsystemsplan. 

Public feedback will be accepted through June 30, 2026, and will help inform revisions before the plan is finalized and presented to the Honolulu City Council for adoption.

CCSR will also host the following virtual webinars to provide an overview of the draft plan and demonstrate how to provide feedback. Recordings will be made available for those unable to attend.

Oʻahu’s food system faces significant challenges. Approximately 25 percent of residents experience food insecurity, while 37 percent are considered ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), meaning working families who struggle to afford basic necessities. At the same time, 85 to 90 percent of Hawaiʻi’s food is imported, increasing the islands’ vulnerability to supply chain disruptions.

Local farmers also continue to face persistent challenges, many of which have been intensified by climate change and the impacts of recent Kona Low storms. 

“For the first time, through this plan, the City will formally and comprehensively determine its role in strengthening our food system—from growing and processing to transporting, consuming, and managing waste,” said Dr. Kealoha Fox, chief resilience officer and executive director of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. “The draft plan provides a coordinated framework for how we can better align our efforts, support our communities, and build long-term resilience. We look forward to hearing the community’s manaʻo.”

—PAU—