Charting a Path Toward Food Self-Sufficiency in Hawai'i County

Hawaiʻi County, which contains 57% of the state’s farmland, has significant potential to increase local food production but remains heavily dependent on imports. This report reviews existing literature, data sources, and methodologies to identify tools for accurately measuring Hawaiʻi County’s food self-sufficiency. Comparative analysis of three key frameworks by Leung & Loke (2013), Melrose & Delparte (2012), and ANCORS (2023) reveals the value of weight-based metrics and integrated datasets while also underscoring limitations such as inadequate geographic resolution and lack of origin-specific data. The findings point to the need for expanded county-level, weight-based production reporting, refined import tracking to distinguish between local, mainland, and foreign sources, and integrated, cross-verified datasets. Applying standardized, community-informed metrics, such as Leung & Loke’s modified formulas, would allow for more accurate assessments of self-sufficiency and progress over time. With these improvements, Hawaiʻi County can more effectively target strategies to reduce import dependency, strengthen local agriculture, and build a resilient food system.