Learning from the dirt: using university food gardens as a tertiary teaching tool

One of the most significant effects of urbanisation is the loss of connection between populations and food production. By definition, to be a city dweller means having insufficient space to be food self-sufficient. 50% of the world’s population now lives in cities, while in Australia that figure is over 90%. The result is that millions of urban dwellers have no experience of growing food. Without first-hand knowledge of food production, it is arguably impossible for citizens to properly understand the health and environmental consequences of modern food systems or to make informed decisions about their own food consumption.
Some city dwellers have always maintained an active role in their own food production, and in recent years urban agriculture has undergone a renaissance. While urban agriculture will never make cities self-sufficient, it can supplement other food sources, and perhaps most crucially, it can educate people about food production.
Universities have unparalleled opportunities to capitalise on this enthusiasm for critical engagement with food systems. We can do so not just through traditional academic work but through hands on, experiential learning. This paper will explore the ways in which universities, including space-poor urban campuses, can incorporate food growing into traditional academic programs, teaching practical skills, as well as deepening students’ understanding of sustainability, food security, food waste and health. Students will graduate not only able to think critically about our food system, but with skills to play an active role in their own food production throughout their lives. The paper will use a case study of an urban law course and food garden in the Faculty of Law, UNSW.