The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of food supply chains and highlighted Hawaii's reliance on food imports (PDF). The fires that have devastated Maui provide another warning and perhaps an opportunity.

The full impact of the deadly Maui fires on food resilience strategies remains to be seen and discussed by those on the frontlines, but the disaster nevertheless highlights an urgent need for a systems-based approach to address both food security and wildfire prevention.

The amount of active farming and ranching land in Hawaii fell by over 60 percent in the last five decades, which has contributed to both the fragility of the island's food supply and to its vulnerability to wildfires.

The decrease in acreage devoted to agriculture has facilitated unchecked growth of invasive grasses on former agricultural lands. These fire-prone grasses grow and dry out rapidly, creating ample fuel for wildfires. Unlike native vegetation, guinea grass and other invasive species bounce back quickly after burning.

After immediate emergency aid is dispersed and resources are allocated for reconstruction, federal agencies like the Department of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Forest Service should collaborate to establish funding avenues that prioritize the integration of food security and wildfire prevention strategies in Hawaii.

Through collaboration with state agencies, this funding could support the expansion of Indigenous and community-based food forests and agroforestry systems, which blend farming or pasture with trees and shrubs. Some Native Hawaiians across the state have continued to utilize traditional land management systems, and others are reviving them, but targeted funding could expand these efforts across abandoned and idle agricultural land full of fire-prone invasive species.

Read the full article about food security by Lena Easton-Calabria at RAND Corporation.