“Welcome, welcome” …..

to CoFET-Retreat 2024 in Hilo, the BiG iSLAND, usually described as the mini tropical continent in the  Pacific Ocean, and the highest peak of the undersea mountain ranges of the 8 islands in the State of Hawai’i.

BiG iSLAND: 

In an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean, is the largest island, the Hawai’i Island, also known as Big Island.

After years of conflict, the Hawaiian Islands united into one royal kingdom under the reign of king Kamehameha I (1795 – 1819), talked about as one who was destined for greatness from birth; was a great warrior, diplomat, and leader. Kamehameha’s unification of Hawaii was significant not only because it was an incredible feat, but believed that under separate rule, the islands would have been torn apart by competing western interests.

The city of Hilo on the Eastern Bay of the Big Island was king Kamehameha’s royal capitol, and his first seat of government.

The choice of Hilo as a permanent seat for USDA – ARS Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, and now the host of the 2^nd CoFET-Retreat is highly appreciating and adoring. The determination comes with a very significant landmark in the historic terms of the revolutionary struggles and concessions for the unification of the eight North Pacific Islands into the Hawaiian Royal Kingdom with it’s great and dear people, and Hilo, as the royal capitol.  

Perspective of CoFET-Retreat 2 in Hilo, BiG iSLAND:

To hasten resilience to the escalating current production constraints, emergence and re-emergence of invasive species and the ruin of climate change to the coffee systems in Africa and Hawaii; the CoFET-Retreat (Oahu iSLAND) Hawai’i, USA in partnership with USDA-ARS Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, is holding the 2^nd CoFET-Retreat in Hilo BiG iSLAND, Hawai’i starting November 03^rd – 12^th, 2024. The forthcoming Retreat in Hilo will serve to deepen the collaboration between AFRICA and Hawai’i initiated at the Hawai’i Agricultural Research Center, Oahu Island inaugural meetings, June 2022. The Hilo CoFET-Retreat is set to host; a) High-stake coffee science colloquium, b) AFRICA-Hawai’i special development meeting to negotiate and finalize a Joint Research Collaborative Agenda (JRCA) to effect 2 main targets; i) technical capacity, trainings and exchange program and ii) Joint research undertakings, collective funding resource mobilization and genetic material exchange, c) Intensive Farm familiarization and experience tour (farmer field school/Demonstrations) and, d) Joint Hawai’i – AFRICA coffee industry-wide competitive cup profiling experience to spur profitable niche market traceability, private auctions, and specific scientific research purposed fulfillment. The scientific opinions and papers presented at this retreat, will be published in the CoFET-Retreat Proceedings. At the heart of this year’s retreat, is the critical appraisal on the research progress of 4 key development priorities identified by CoFET-Retreat: 1) coffee leaf rust (CLR), 2) black coffee twig borer (BCTB), 3) coffee berry borer (CBB) and 4) climate change, on a tall order of emerging issues. In the picture is the Director of Research, and Scientists of Daniel K Inouye and; the Founder of African Coffee Bureau. 

achieving the vision for CoFET-Retreat (Oahu iSLAND) Hawai’i, USA…….

CoFET-Retreat (Oahu iSLAND) Hawai’i, USA; is a coffee science innovations and technologies exchange enterprise, subsidiary to the Africa Coffee Bureau LLC (Parent company). The science exchange infrastructure was inaugurated in Oahu Island on June 13, 2022, during the first CoFET-Retreat coffee science colloquium hosted at the Hawai’i Agricultural Research Center (HARC); to pursue a joint research cooperation between AFRICA and Hawai’i. under the banner “CoFET-Retreat a Launch Tower for Coffee Research Collaboration Between Hawai’i and AFRICA”. The strongest reason for the science exchange idea is the fact that; coffee constraints along the commodity value chain be it in the ecological production farming systems or trade at the international stage, are the same irrespective of geographical location isolation and distinction, scenarios in Hawai’i and AFRICA, inclusive. The other rational basis for CoFET-Retreat is the need for synergies, partnerships and to leverage each other’s entity for joint solutions. Several achievements gained at the inaugural retreat in Oahu and, there were gaps. In both scenarios, it calls for consolidation and to work on the achievement gaps. Thus, the 2nd CoFET-Retreat, which is scheduled to place in Hilo, Big Island will dwell on the drawbacks and strengthen the gains of the June 2022 Retreat in Oahu Island.

Therefore, to strengthen the encounter on the toll of various escalating production constraints, invasive species, and the ruin of climate change inclusive, in the coffee farming systems globally, and in particular, Africa and Hawai’i; the CoFET-Retreat (Oahu iSLAND) Hawai’i, USA (subsidiary to the Africa Coffee Bureau), in partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center welcomes you to the 2nd CoFET-Retreat (Coffee Farm Experience Tour and Retreat) in Hilo for broad deliberations and action points.

The 10-day long event running from November 03rd to 12th, 2024; besides, the traditional activities at inaugural CoFET-Retreat event 2022 in Oahu, will kick off with;

I. Joint Hawai’i – AFRICA industry-wide competitive cup profiling experience.

• Private auction of exclusive smallholder micro-lot coffee collections.
• Global perspective view in-put in aiding National Varietal Release Committees’ decision making on selection, and recommendation of scientific research test materials (candidate genotypes) on the road to commercialization or roll-out for farmer use in grower nations in AFRICA and Hawai’i.

II. Farmer-Scientists-Business interface arena.

III. Graduate Student Forum (GSF).

IV. International workshop training courses.

CoFET-Retreat stakeholder-ship in coffee, cocoa, sugarcane, horticultural commodities of economic importance, and other coffee-integrated economic diversification enterprises, livestock, and apiary inclusive, all welcome to Hilo to learn of novel science trends, On-Station/On-farm (Farmer Field Schools) activities, Coffee Science Colloquium, GSF, trade, fun and more.

CoFET-Retreat (BiG Island) contacts:

Contributing Institutions:

1. Hawai’i Agricultural Research Center

Kunia Research Station

94-340 Kunia Rd. Waipahu, HI 96797

Tel: (808) 621 1350

Fax: (808) 621 1399

2. USDA (Agricultural Research Services)

Daniel K Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center

64 Nowelo Street Hilo, HI 96720

Tel: (808) 932 2100

Fax: (808) 959 5470

3. University of Hawai’i at Mãnoa

College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

St. John Plant Science Laboratory Room 102

3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822

Tel: (808) 956 8351

Fax: (808) 956 3894

4. Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization

Coffee Research Institute

P.O Box 57811 City Square, Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 722 206 986

Registration:

I. Delegate registration:      $200

II. International Training Workshops:

a.  Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Techniques: Coffee Leaf Rust Field Combat.   $1500

• 5-day intensive training
• Hilo Hawai’i, USA

b.  C. arabica Propagation: Grafting and Tissue Culture Techniques.   $1950

• 5-day intensive training
• Hilo Hawai’i, USA

Pay to: 

Africa Coffee Bureau LLC

CoFET-Retreat Events Architecture:

Note: There is opportunity for event sponsorship: info@africacoffeebureau.us 

Hotel and Travel Reservations:

Recommended and closest hotels to Daniel K Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center

1. SCP Hilo Hotel

126 Banyan Way Hilo, HI 96720

Tel: +1 (808) 935 0821

Email:    info.hilo@scphotel.com

https://scphotel.com/hilo/

2. Hilo Hawaiian Hotel

71 Banyan Drive Hilo, HI 96720

Tel:         +1 (808) 935 9361             

https://www.castleresorts.com/big-island/hilo-hawaiian-hotel/

3. Grand Naniloa Resort

93 Banyan Drive Hilo, HI 96720

Tel:         +1 (808) 969 3333

httpsopU://www.grandnaniloahilo.com 

Recommended Airlines especially from AFRICA to connections to Hilo International Airport (ITO) 

1. Ethiopian Airlines (ET)

2. Kenya Airways

3. Hawaiian Airlines

Note: for assistance in hotel and travel planning and reservations, contact:

African Safaris New York Terminal

email: africansafarisnyt@gmail.com