Some Honolulu charter amendment proposals seek to improve food security, farming

Nearly 280 proposed charter amendments have been submitted to the Honolulu Charter Commission, including several with a focus on improving farming or ensuring that residents don’t go hungry.

A few of the proposals would add language to the city charter giving residents a "right to food,” meaning the city would have a duty to ensure Oʻahu residents have access to enough nutritious, affordable and culturally appropriate food.

Urban agroecologist Kima Wassel Hardy, founder of the agroforestry consulting business Earth Innovation, is helping spearhead that effort.

 ”What we're saying is that Hawaiʻi's in a state of crisis when it comes to hunger, and it's only getting worse. And so we're trying to be creative and innovative and do literally anything possible to see those numbers start turning around because we don't want to see one more child, one more kupuna, one more neighbor, go hungry … and so we want to embed those positive rights into the city charter,” she said.

Other city charter proposals would put money behind that effort as well.