Humber Arboretum field trip teaches UofGH Food Studies students about on-campus food security initiatives

Not having enough food to eat is a pervasive problem across Canada, even at the University of Guelph-Humber (UofGH). Dr. Sarah Duni’s Food Studies class took a closer look at the topic of food insecurity during a recent field trip to the Humber Arboretum, where students learned about sustainable community-based urban agriculture right here on campus. 

“Education is critical,” Dr. Duni said. “Equipping communities and individuals with knowledge about the food system and how it operates is the first step to creating change.” 

According to our 2023 Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey, about one-third of UofGH students are facing food insecurity. Twenty-nine per cent of students said they’ve been hungry but didn’t eat because they couldn’t afford food, and 35 per cent of respondents said they’ve reduced the size of a meal or skipped it altogether because money was tight. 

Through this iteration of the Liberal Studies elective, AHSS 1370: Food Studies, students were taken on a tour of the Humber Arboretum, with a focus on the Humber Food Learning Garden, which is located behind the residence buildings on Humber’s North Campus. The field trip was taken around Thanksgiving, a typically food-centric holiday, making this a timely learning experience.  

From peppers to leafy greens to squashes and more, the garden is host to many produce varieties that feed the community. Humber Arboretum manager Jimmy Vincent explained initiatives the garden partakes in to combat food insecurity. It’s a space he called “near and dear” to his heart.   

One of the initiatives the Humber Arboretum is involved in is the “Learning by Leading” program, developed by the University of California at Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, and it’s the only public garden in Canada to be part of this pilot project. Vincent said this program is “designed to build skills with students,” but it also “provides real life opportunities to solve real world problems in connection to climate issues,” and more.  

After deciding to expand its initiatives into the community, the garden forged a partnership with a local food bank through the Rexdale Community Health Centre (RCHC), where about 700 pounds of produce were donated to support around 55 families in 2023, with RCHC volunteers harvesting the produce. 

And this past summer, IGNITE (the student union for UofGH and Humber Polytechnic students) partnered with the Humber Arboretum for a pilot project to open food stands run by student volunteers, serving produce from the garden that supported approximately 500 students from UofGH and Humber Polytechnic. 

Humber Polytechnic’s culinary students also cook with the produce grown in the garden, and IGNITE’s Soupbar program, which prepares free soups for students to address challenges in obtaining enough food, uses those ingredients as well. This helps minimize food waste. 

Vincent said further student involvement with the garden is still being worked out, but those opportunities will expand in due time.  

Moreover, field trip participant and American international student Chrysanthe Nikolaidis, who’s in her fourth-year of the Kinesiology program, said that it’s important for students to be made aware of the resources that can help with food insecurity on campus, including the Humber Food Learning Garden – especially for fellow international students, who often come to Canada to attend school with no other family who can provide financial support.  

“The budget that students have is not that high. And with the rising prices of groceries, it poses a dilemma of: Will there be enough [food] for international students that live alone?” Nikolaidis said. 

Dr. Duni approaches the topic of food insecurity through the lens of a human services scholar, holding multiple degrees in social work and a doctorate in policy studies. She’s passionate about collaboration among institutions (including universities) with the greater community. 

“I like to encourage students to really engage with local organizations promoting hands-on experiences that then empower them to take action,” she said, adding the garden’s partnership with the RCHC is a great example. 

Furthermore, Liberal Studies Interim Associate Head Dr. Nitin Deckha, who also joined the field trip, underscored the value of educating students on food security initiatives and food sustainability.  

“I think [what students learned] decentres the narrative that food is only available in grocery stores, shipped from a truck far away, to one that highlights how food is all around us,” Dr. Deckha said. “Food is on our campus, and we can become more educated and engaged in participating in learning how to grow food, harvest food, become more educated about our food, and maybe shift our consumer habits and eat more sustainably.” 

With food security initiatives that are designed to uplift the community occurring so close to the classroom, students were thrilled to see the Humber Food Learning Garden first-hand (and even sample edible flowers grown at the Humber Arboretum!). 

“Usually, university classes are just theory-based. But because of the program that Guelph-Humber offers, I was able to have hands-on learning instead of just sitting in the classroom,” second-year Business student Joanne Alkhamisi said, who enjoyed her experience.  

To learn more about AHSS 1370: Food Studies, read the course outline here. 

And to donate to the University of Guelph Humber Student Food Security fund, click here.