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SchoolyardActiveSince 2017

Taichung School Food-and-Farming Education and Rooftop Garden Program

Taichung, Taiwan · Operator: Taichung City Government Department of Education (with Homemakers United Foundation Taichung)

Overview

A food-and-farming education program in which space-constrained urban schools in Taichung creatively set up campus gardens on rooftops, concrete planters and movable beds to teach children about farming and food, built on the 'Taichung School Food-and-Farming Education Comprehensive Plan (2017-2019)'.

Citizen participation

Pupils experience growing, harvesting and cooking in school plots, rooftop gardens, corridor planters and movable beds, learning environmentally friendly methods through teacher training and a partnership with the Homemakers United Foundation.

Operating model

A school-education program led by the city's Department of Education. The city subsidises training and capacity-building, and partners with an NGO (Homemakers United Foundation) so each school can deliver food-and-farming education.

Impact

Implemented at many schools on environmentally friendly principles, with reported cases of children overcoming picky eating and fear of soil-improving dietary habits and environmental awareness.

Land tenure

Owned

Schools use their own grounds and rooftops for educational purposes.

Crops

  • vegetables

Scale

Citywide school program (2017-2019 comprehensive plan onward); urban schools such as Dongguang and Shangshi Elementary use rooftops and movable beds

Sources(2)

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Taichung School Food-and-Farming Education and Rooftop Garden Program — Urban Farm DB