Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 9, 1 September 1992 — Community-based economic development [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Community-based economic development

by Trustee Louis Hao Trustee, Moloka'i & Lana'i On Aug. 10 and 11,1 attended the

first annual Hawai'i Conference on Community-Based Eeonomie Development (CBED), whieh was sponsored by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Department of Planning and Eeonomie Development and Tourism (DBED&T), the

Hawai'i Allianee for CBED, and the Bank of Hawai'i. The theme of the conference was "Eeonomie Directions-From the Grassroots Up." This conference was important to me because its aim is to reach and benefit all communities, including low-ineome communities as well as Native Hawaiian communities.

Miehael Swack, who represents the New Hampshire College National Community Eeonomie Development Program, summed up his paper in the following comments: "The basic premise of community eeonomie development (CED) is that.

in order for any form of development to take plaee that will have a lasting and meaningful impact at the eommu-

nity level, there needs to be a strengthening of loeal capacity to mobilize resources and use these resources to build a sound eeonomie base for the community. "The starting premise for community eeonomie development is that eommunities that are poor and

underdeveloped remain in that condition because they laek control over their own eeonomie resources. In summary, eaeh Hawai'i community should begin to initiate its own eeonomie strategies whieh seek to develop the economy of the community for the benefit of its residents."

We at OHA have funded several Hawaiian community projects throughout this state. For example: • Hina-Malailena, a Hana, Maui project for the development of a Hawaiian shopping and business plaza; • Ke Kua'aina Hanauna Hou, a

community-based eeonomie development project to process various Hawaiian foods and/or artifacts; • Wai'anae's Pahe'ehe'e Ridge hydroponic and backyard aquaculture project;

• Kaua'i's Hawaiian Farmers of Hanalei, ine., a taro venture and processing plant; and • Hui Ulu Mea Ai. a communitybased agricultural project whieh is developing a food processing facility. These projects are but a few of the community-based eeonomie development projects now under way with start-up monies from OHA and DBED&T.

The conference provided educational and informational materials for the expansion of more feasible projects that respective communities may wish to address and eventually implement. For more information on the CBED program, eall Linda Colburn, OHA Eeonomie Development Officer, at 586-3777 or write me at: Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 711 Kapi'olani Boulevard, Suite 500, Honolulu, HI 96813.