AfuruKei Farms
A permaculture farm in Hilo, Hawaii
Chapter I — The Calling
Mission
Our mission is to cultivate and foster a thriving biome through Holistic Permaculture — growing agricultural ecosystems in a self-sufficient and sustainable way —
Six Tenets of Permaculture
01
Sustainability
We are committed to sustainable practices that ensure the long-term well-being of the land, water and air.
02
Resource Management
Our hope is to find effective strategies to restore, enhance and safeguard the ʻāina (land), soil and food resources.
03
Fertility Improvement
Recognizing the importance of rich and bountiful soils, we work towards improving and maintaining soil fertility and productivity.
04
Self-sufficiency
Our goal is to nurture the land and embrace its bounty, so that we may nourish ourselves and our communities with the fruits of our labor
05
Beautification
We strive to augment the visual splendor of our ecological realm sculpting a captivating landscape that delights the senses and fosters a deep appreciation for the natural world.
06
Education
We are committed to sharing knowledge and empowering individuals to make informed decisions and contribute to the betterment of our planet.
Chapter II — The Waters
Aquatics
Nature's liquid bounty, cultivating an aquatic abundance
Chapter III — The Land
Agronomy
Regenerative agriculture, fostering sustainable tropical systems
From the field and beyond
Field Dispatches
Ideas, research, and stories from our farm and beyond
Are we pruning away cacao’s productive wood?
A study of 331 mature grafted cacao trees found more pods and beans on trees with thicker, more numerous structural branches.
Frontiers in AgronomyEffect of insect-based fish feed wastewater on lettuce growth
In a small trial, lettuce grown on wastewater from insect-fed tilapia showed differences in growth and pigments, suggesting fish feed may shape aquaponic crops.
Frontiers in HorticultureTurning a breadfruit orchard into a layered food forest
A Kauaʻi project added food and biomass plants beneath mature breadfruit trees, turning an orchard into a layered agroforest. It shows how the space under established trees can support additional crops, though the study did not test which understory plantings perform best.
Agroforestry SystemsCreating circular pathways for nutrients in aquaculture using biochar
Biochar can be charged with excess nitrogen and phosphorus from aquaculture
Resources, Conservation & RecyclingHawaii’s roads are a challenge for Machine Learning
Full Self Driving needs edge-case data, but no other state has Hawaii’s unique locations and phenomena
AfuruKei FarmsGoterra’s innovative solution to food waste
Goterra uses black soldier fly larvae to process food waste, reduce methane in landfills while creating insect-based animal feed and a highly nutritive soil amendment.
Australian Capital Territory GovernmentScientists Create Superflies, Engineered To Devour Human Poop And Clean Up Our Streets
Edited by Nikhil Pandey
NDTV CONVERGENCE LIMITED 2024Permaculture found to be a sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture
by Kerstin Theilmann
Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-LandauScientists discover new plants that could lead to 'climate-proof' chocolate
by University College Cork
Fruit-eating fish does far-flung forestry
by Susan Milius
Society for Science & the PublicPermaculture, it’s growing.
AfuruKei Farms — Hilo, Hawaii