PGC FARMS
As part of our Growing Roots: Aloha ʻĀina, Aloha ʻOhana initiative, we are expanding our agricultural work to Oʻahu’s North Shore with Pacific Gateway Center Farms Haleʻiwa, a shared farm site supporting local food production and access to agricultural land and resources.
Pacific Gateway Center Farms began as a response to a human trafficking situation involving farmers from Southeast Asia who had been brought to Hawaiʻi under false promises and were left in exploitative and unstable conditions. Recognizing both the injustice and the farmers’ deep agricultural knowledge, Pacific Gateway Center intervened to help extract them from that situation and provide a pathway to independence. The organization secured access to agricultural land, equipment, and training, enabling these farmers to start their own farm businesses and rebuild their lives with dignity. What began as a resettlement and recovery effort has since grown into a nationally recognized farm incubator program that empowers immigrant and refugee farmers to become successful agricultural entrepreneurs while contributing to local food security.
New Beginnings on the North Shore
Leased from Kamehameha Schools Foundation, the 80-acre farm provides land and shared infrastructure that enable farmers to grow crops, access resources, and participate in local markets. Our goal is to keep more food local while expanding equitable access to farmland and agricultural opportunity.
The site is expected to support the cultivation of diversified produce, culturally significant crops, a variety of orchard trees, and seasonal vegetables, with production scaled to support hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh produce annually distributed through farmers markets, Chinatown produce stalls, and local produce aggregators, contributing directly to Hawaiʻi’s local food system.
Building Local Food Capacity
More than a farm, this space is a living classroom and microenterprise hub, designed to support farmers at every stage of their journey.
Through hands-on training, mentorship, and shared infrastructure, the farm will offer:
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Affordable access to farmland for immigrant and refugee growers
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Agricultural training and mentorship rooted in sustainability and cultural practice
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Small business and farm-to-market pathways to help farmers launch and grow agribusinesses
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Community food security initiatives that keep fresh, locally grown food circulating in our neighborhoods
Here, tradition and innovation grow side by side: feeding families, strengthening futures, and caring for the land that sustains us all.
Join Us in Growing the Future
Your support helps build the infrastructure, training programs, and business pathways that allow immigrant and refugee farmers—and Hawaiʻi’s food systems—to thrive.
Together, we can grow food locally, honor cultural knowledge, and invest in a more resilient Hawaiʻi.
