COFET-Retreat(BiG iSland – Daniel K Inouye US Pacific Agricultural Research Center)Hawai’i USA

Introduction

E komo mai

“Welcome, welcome” …………..
to CoFET-Retreat 2024 Hilo – BiG iSLAND, usually described as the mini tropical continent in Pacific, and the peak of the undersea mountain ranges of the 8 islands in the State of Hawai’i.

November 3^rd – 12^th, 2024

USDA, ARS, Daniel K. Inouye

U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center

64 Nowelo Street Hilo, Hawai’i 96720 USA

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.

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.

Contact:

Africa Coffee Bureau (ACB)
email: info@africacoffeebureau.us
Tel: (202) 746 6160

Register

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