Growing food in universities

Environmental and social responsibility programmes in universities are nowadays developing a collection of initiatives that involve not only their direct users (students, teachers and staff) but wider range of people living in the surrounding districts. Community gardens are often included in these programmes as a means of integrating the universities in the cities, implementing educational activities, producing organic food and allowing the people to socialize. In this chapter, the author focuses attention on: the role of community gardens within universities in connection with the city; how they were based on urban vegetable gardens developed mainly in Western countries (USA and UK being pioneers); which services they offer; which disciplines they involve and how the community is engaged.