Ranked first in the country for agriculture and forestry studies, UC Davis has a unique relationship with agriculture. This is especially relevant to the university’s Student Farm, a designated teaching tool for students to practice sustainable agricultural practices and mitigate food insecurity within the campus and Davis communities. Within this organization, the Student Farm focuses on several SDGs, including SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality of Education, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

The Student Farm has become an essential part of UC Davis’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 17 SDGs are considerably large and need big-picture solutions in order to be met globally. While these goals might seem daunting and impossible, there are small efforts that communities are making all over the world to support them locally.  There are many efforts being made right now at UC Davis, including the Student Farm, that are addressing the goals. 

The Student Farm includes native plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables, providing an area for students to learn about the importance of sustainable agriculture and help mitigate food insecurity in the Davis area.  The work done at the farm is broken down into four categories:  

• The Market Garden: the main produce production program. 
• The Scope Program: deals directly with plant breeding. 
• The Ecological Garden: the main educational portion of the farm where students learn sustainable farming techniques. 
• The Fresh Focus Program: makes food more accessible to those in the Davis area. 

The work done at the Student Farm crosses over several SDGs, most strongly supporting SDG 2: Zero Hunger.  For example, Fresh Focus provides free fresh fruits and veggies to those in the Davis community. Through Fresh Focus, the Student Farm gives produce that would otherwise go to waste to a variety of on and off campus organizations free of charge to ensure that the Davis community has access to nutritious foods regardless of financial access. The program treats food as a right rather than a privilege. Additionally, the Student Farm is committed to limiting food waste, an issue far more rampant than most students realize.

For those who want to get involved in the Student Farm, there are volunteer opportunities year-round. There are also student internship opportunities that allow students to cater their experience at the farm to their interests. Whether through food access justice, irrigation, harvesting and more, the farm offers a multitude of different avenues for students to get involved and do their part to tackle global challenges. 

Learn how to get involved at the UC Davis Student Farm