Putting kai on the table
Kai Co-op is rooted in Ma¯ori traditions and cultural practices
Most people are noticing that filling a supermarket trolley affordably is getting harder as the cost of living continues to rise, so a group of Hawke’s Bay wa¯hine have put their heads together to create a kai box that is a little different to any others.
Kai Co-op is rooted in Ma¯ori traditions and cultural practices and will draw upon previous research, projects, traditional knowledge and sustainable practices to promote community wellbeing, environmental stewardship and cultural revitalisation.
Now in a pilot phase, the group known as Kai Co-op wanted to create something that was not only accessible and sustainable, but a programme that aims to support and educate wha¯nau to grow and cook nutritious food.
The idea first started after Cyclone Gabrielle, when the owner of Hapı¯ Clean Kai Eatery and project manager of the Kia Co-op pilot initiative, Gretta Carney (Te Atihaunui a Pa¯pa¯rangi), saw a real wake-up call for many people trying to access kai.
Carney and her wha¯nau were evacuated, but luckily were able to stay with her parents, who were in a safe location and had food in the cupboards.
However, others weren’t as fortunate and Carney and her team then spent a few days after the cyclone making sure other people in the community had access to kai.
In the first few days and weeks following the cyclone, with no electricity, shops closed and no cash on hand, access to food was a significant issue for wha¯nau. Even months after Cyclone Gabrielle, the cost of living is an ongoing concern for access to affordable food across Hawke’s Bay, making it more evident that communities needed a different kai system.
“Kai Co-op is about focusing on the basics — providing advice on staple food items that can be grown anywhere, and sharing knowledge of how to cook those items and other basic but nutritious ingredients,” says Carney.
“The aim is to have an affordable kai box available to wha¯nau which provides both pantry and fresh items, to supplement what is grown at home. Recipes to use the kai box ingredients are also provided.”
As well as helping people to find other ways to fill their pantries, the group hopes the Kai Co-op can help develop more local businesses in all parts of the food system, from production to processing to distribution, service and consumption.
While in its pilot phase, the Kai Coop initiative is being shaped through a series of workshops. During the workshops, participants learn the practical steps for growing kai at home, trying out recipes and providing their input on what should be in the kai box, how it should be delivered, as well as price points.
One of the workshop participants, Kaysie Kohu, said, “In our whare, wha¯nau across generations all live together, so knowing how to grow and cook healthy kai is important to not only take care of my tamariki but also our pakeke.
“Having access to an affordable kai box and the support and help to grow and make the kai is a game-changer for us,” Kohu said.
Kohu and his partner were two of 27 people who showed up for the first workshop, held at Hapı¯ on October 26, with other workshops planned for the coming weeks.
Kia Co-op team member Jody Hamilton said the number of people who turned up for the first workshop exceeded the group’s expectations.
Kai Co-op has more workshops to run, but by the end of the pilot in December, the aim is to have more wha¯nau and communities growing kai at home, a stronger network of local food producers and an affordable and healthy kai box regularly available.
While creating more food resilience for local wha¯nau, the goal is that Kai Co-op will bolster the local economy by creating employment opportunities and supporting small-scale businesses. This system hopes to encourage a local food economy, reducing dependency on imports and strengthening the resilience of the region’s food supply chain.
“Through the Kai Co-op, we are sharing as much knowledge and information as we can to ensure that all of our wha¯nau are healthy and well by having access to good kai not only in a time of crisis but in their everyday lives,” Carney said.