Canada visit marks the start of new AgriUrban Wales project

A team of staff from Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion visited Durham College in Canada with a view to developing an urban farming programme at Gelli Aur campus and eventually across Wales.

The visit was possible due to Taith funding, which is a Welsh Government funded exchange programme delivered by International Learning Exchange Programme.

The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture is a recognised leader in urban agriculture education with a vision of becoming an internationally recognised hub of excellence in urban agricultural practices. 

Currently, there is a limited infrastructure in Wales to support practical, hands-on experiences in urban farming as part of the curriculum, which affects accessibility of fresh, local produce and opportunities for training. 

The urban farming programme at Durham College also offers students apprenticeships and employment and the produce they grow feeds directly into its college restaurant, Bistro ’67 which has a ‘field-to-fork’ philosophy.

The introduction of urban farming at Gelli Aur campus, which is Coleg Sir Gâr’s agricultural campus and working farm, will begin to address issues such as reducing food miles, support local food networks and provide learning opportunities geared at sustainability.

Ultimately, this partnership project will develop a bespoke enrichment programme called AgriUrban Wales which will address the current skills gap in urban farming education. 

Durham College also has a partnership with a company that provides a super strength polycarbonate polytunnels designed in Shetland and built to withstand high wind speeds and the harshest of climates.

As part of this collaborative Canadian-Welsh partnership an online conference will be held for students from both colleges looking at key areas such as soil health, growth techniques and implementation of Polycrub systems. 

The conference will also explore topics such as climate resilience in urban farming, vertical farming, environmental factors on crop yield and adapting urban farming to local climates.

Staff from Gelli Aur campus were given a tour of Durham College, its Ajax Urban Farm, international education office and indigenous centre as well as a visit to Brooks Farm and Pickering College’s Blue and Silver Farm.

College staff who travelled to Canada, with thanks to Taith funding, were Liz Bowes, head of agriculture, Jemma Parsons, head of Green Skills Academy, Katie Court, gateway curriculum manager for agriculture and Claire MacKerras, director of curriculum (east). 

Head of agriculture at Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion said: “The visit to Canada reinforced the value of developing a strong partnership with a college that is leading innovative practice in sustainable, farm-to-fork food production. 

“Working together would enable shared learning and meaningful student engagement, helping to inform and enhance similar initiatives at Coleg Sir Gâr.”  

There is also an exchange planned for Durham College in Canada to visit Coleg Sir Gâr’s agricultural campus in Gelli Aur.