Designing for food self-sufficiency: A regenerative urban agriculture toolkit for Honolulu’s limited food access areas

Abstract

Many cities around the world face food security challenges, and Honolulu is no exception. Hawai’i's geographic location makes it vulnerable with 85% to 90% of its food being imported from across the Pacific Ocean. At any point in time, there is only enough food throughout the Hawaiian Islands to sustain the population for just 5 to 7 days (Hawai’i Department of Health, 2021). Furthermore, our food system is currently dealing with the unique challenge of providing for a rapidly expanding population while preserving vital resources such as energy and water (D’Ostuni, 2022). This dissertation presents a toolkit for city and state agencies and non-profit organizations to address limited food access in peri-urban neighborhoods by integrating regenerative architectural practices with urban agriculture methods. It explores techniques such as vertical farming, hydroponics, and green roofs, combined with strategies like water management, renewable energy integration, and waste reduction. Aimed at tackling key challenges in food availability, accessibility, utility, and stability, the toolkit promotes food self-sufficiency, advances a circular economy, fosters social equity, and cultivates a healthy environment in Honolulu's peri-urban areas. By embedding urban agriculture with regenerative architectural practices, the research emphasizes locally tailored strategies to confront global food security challenges. The design encourages the creation of interconnected networks of strategically placed gardens, urban farms, and green spaces, empowering communities to participate actively in sustainable food production. This approach reduces dependence on imports, sustains local populations during periods of scarcity and disruption, strengthens social ties, and fosters environmental stewardship across urban and peri-urban areas.