AGRICULTURE – SWOT

STRENGTHS

  1. The continual increase in participation in traditional soil and hydroponic agriculture throughout the entire Kodiak region. 
  2. The hydroponics industry provides fresh and local produce year-round, increasing food security and economic impact.
  3. The Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute (KALI) farm infrastructure support in four village communities:
    1. Development of farm infrastructure and agriculture technical capacity.
    2. ANA funding to develop a food hub to distribute to elders in the Kodiak region.
    3. Technical assistance and training through USDA 2501, expanding to include mariculture farm development. 
    4. Actively growing food in all six village communities, with Ouzinkie and Larsen Bay producing enough to sell overstock to Kodiak.  This includes significant expansion into year-round hydroponic farming.
    5. The development of a network of technical resource advisors. 
  1. High export costs for Alaskan-grown foods and high import costs for outside foods, making the locally-grown market more competitive. 
  2. The Kodiak Harvest Food Cooperative, a local cooperatively owned grocery store, has a focus on selling produce and goods from the Kodiak region and Alaska-wide producers.

WEAKNESSES

  1. Traditional farming in Alaska is subject to a shorter growing season. 
  2. Farming and agriculture is are occupations that are not traditionally high-paying.
  3. Hydroponic agriculture is energy-intensive, limiting economic feasibility in communities with high electricity costs.
  4. A limited amount of personnel in some communities makes recruiting and retention of farm laborers very challenging. 
  5. Soil conditions in the Kodiak region generally require amendments to create fertility levels needed for adequate productivity; this requires additional knowledge, time, and outside resources for soil testing and education. 

OPPORTUNITIES

  1. Emerging hydroponics could provide year-round production of local greens in the Kodiak region.
  2. The USDA subsidizes some shipping costs for supplies and produce to and from farms outside of the contiguous United States. If implemented properly, this could reduce shipping costs that are paid for by customers. 
  3. Village farms have the potential to grow enough produce to both feed their local community and export produce to the Kodiak road system. 
  4. Potential for wholesale purchasing access for grocery stores in the village communities.
  5. Institutional markets for local agriculture such as hospitals, schools, and senior centers present a sizable opportunity if quality and production quantities can be met by Kodiak farmers and producers.
  6. KALI continues to adapt subsequent funding applications to the growing capacity of the farmers and ranchers in the Kodiak region. 
  7. Port Lions is connected to the Kodiak Electric Association grid. The low-cost electricity could allow economic feasibility for hydroponic farming operations.  

THREATS

  1. Internet and online retailers:
    1. Companies like Amazon and Fred Meyer are stiff competition for locally owned grocery stores and farmers. This includes subsidized shipping through the US Mail system, providing cheaper alternatives that the public can purchase instead of locally grown produce. 
  2. Climate change can alter the growing seasons and other available food resources grown, gathered, fished, and hunted locally. 

AGRICULTURE – NARRATIVE

Historically, up until the 1940’s Kodiak’s rural communities were for the most part self-sufficient. Village residents hunted and fished, grew gardens, and received grocery orders for canned goods and fuel. As one Larsen Bay elder shared, “We worked all summer and used our commercial fishing money to buy our winter supplies. We had everything we needed.” This changed beginning after WWII as more consumer goods arrived and now the tradition of supplying the majority of your food locally has declined, increasing the cost of living and leading to the loss of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).

A limited amount of locally grown food is produced and marketed on Kodiak Island on a commercial level. Nearly all produce is either shipped or flown in for the entire Kodiak populace, including the village residents. Because of this, the price of fresh produce in the Kodiak region is expensive and often of low quality. The weather and severe seasonal differences in the Kodiak region pose a major obstacle to the development of local food production. 

However, agricultural production is rapidly changing in Kodiak.  In just seven short years, four village-based farms have begun to fulfill local fresh produce demand in the respective village community.  Supporting both food security and local economic development the Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute (KALI) has been working to develop farm infrastructure and agricultural technical capacity in Larsen Bay, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie, and Port Lions.  In 2015, a three-year project funded by the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) started pilot farms.  On top of the infrastructure installed (hoop houses, poultry coops, etc.), locally hired farm technicians received training to build the local workforce to start on the path to self-sustainability.  KALI continues to provide technical assistance and training through the USDA 2501 (Socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers) program.  All four original farms are actively growing food and two additional sites (Akhiok and Karluk) are working with KALI to develop their farms.  

KALI continues to lead the agriculture industry development, starting a project named “Suupet Neregkwarluki” in Alutiiq or “We Are Feeding Our People” through another ANA Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) grant awarded in September 2020 to further hydroponic farming.  Hydroponic farming allows for year-round fresh produce to be grown.  Additionally, private-investment hydroponic agriculture operations are appearing throughout the Kodiak region as others recognize the potential in this emerging industry.  Local food production has an opportunity for either organizations or entrepreneurs to further local economic development.  Currently, Kodiak has limited marketplace platforms for local farms to engage with the public and generate revenue.  These platforms include farmer’s markets and a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) producer’s cooperative that delivers weekly farm share boxes to subscribers.  Kodiak Harvest Food Cooperative, a community-owned cooperative grocery store operates with a focus on selling locally grown produce and locally caught seafood.  A food cooperative is a local, community-owned business that does not have the same corporate barriers that a nationwide grocery store has.  The local ownership would make it easier for the grocery store to decide to carry the products they wish before competing with industrial scale farms from the Lower 48.  

Further increases in commercial agricultural production have opportunities beyond residential and retail sales channels.  Local produce and agricultural products could meet the needs of institutional customers, including schools, the hospital, senior center, and more.