MALAMA: Cultivating Food Sovereignty through Backyard Aquaponics with Native Hawaiian Families

Native Hawaiians were a healthy and robust population who developed a sophisticated food system that was dismantled by colonization. Currently, Native Hawaiians face pervasive health disparities due to the limited access to healthy foods and lifestyles. This study pilot tested a family-based community-driven intervention called MALAMA, which teaches families to build and use a backyard aquaponics system to grow their own food. A total of 21 participants from 10 families completed a three-month curriculum that included a series of hands-on workshops. Participant attendance was recorded and participants completed a behavioral health questionnaire as well as provided clinical indicators at three time points. They also attended a focus group at the end of the curriculum. There was a high level of engagement and no participant attrition. Fruit consumption among all participants significantly increased and there were favorable trends in blood pressure and fish and vegetable consumption. No significant differences were found in the other clinical indicators. Participants found MALAMA to be highly culturally acceptable and identified multiple benefits. Community-driven solutions, such as MALAMA, may be a promising approach to addressing pervasive health disparities and promoting health equity in minority and Indigenous communities.