April 21, 2023
A study conducted by CSFS Associate, Dr. Navin Ramankutty, Director of the Institute for Resources Environment and Sustainability, found that staple crops like rice and wheat are under threat from climate change.
At a national seminar in India, Dr. Ramankutty said that global food production will decline by 6% to 9% owing to climate change in next 20 years or before.
For the 2023 growing season we are offering three markets each week! Our Tuesday and Saturday markets are located at the UBC Farm, with our Wednesday markets taking place in front of the UBC Bookstore.
Don’t miss the only multi-vendor farmers’ market in Vancouver located on a working farm! It’s our biggest weekly event on the Farm, bringing in dozens of vendors selling local fruits, vegetables, meats, baked goods, beverages, mushrooms, coffee and food trucks, alcohol, treats, crafts and prepared foods, as well as – of course! – the certified organic, farm-fresh produce, fruits, and herbs from the UBC Farm. We also bring in local music groups for you to enjoy during your time at our market!
The UBC Farm Tuesday evening market features our farm-fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers and seeds. Stop by and pick up some fresh ingredients for dinner! Cash, Interac, Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
The UBC Farm Wednesday Campus Market features an assortment of fresh UBC Farm vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. This mid-week market in front of the UBC Bookstore offers students, staff and faculty members a convenient opportunity to purchase UBC Farm produce.
This May, in honour of UN International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), the UBC Farm is hosting a series of events to celebrate biodiversity and its importance for our communities, health and planet.
Learn about all of the amazing native pollinators that help pollinate the plants and crops at the UBC Farm. This walk will provide an overview of native pollinator diversity as well as the opportunity to try your hand at capturing and identifying native bumble bee species.
This event will happen outside so dress appropriately for the weather and terrain (sturdy footwear, weather appropriate clothing, hat, sunscreen). In the case of rain or poor weather, the event will occur inside and the activities will be modified. The opportunity to capture and handle bees is optional and likely not appropriate for those with bee sting allergies. We ask all UBC Farm visitors to respect and enjoy the space, and to not disturb any plants, equipment, or research apparatus on site. Please watch your footing and stay on the roads or grass pathways. Please leave your pets at home. Also note there are washrooms on site, but only portable toilets.
This May, in honour of UN International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), the UBC Farm is hosting a series of events to celebrate biodiversity and its importance for our communities, health and planet.
Interested in learning more about the goths of the insect world that come out to pollinate after dark? Join us at the UBC Farm for an event spotlighting the diverse assemblage of nocturnal bugs that live in and around Vancouver! We will take a look at some of the insects we catch in our nighttime surveys and see what kinds of critters pay us a visit on a light sheet. We’ll provide an intro on nocturnal insect biology, identification, and the many exciting ways they have adapted to live in the dark. Come learn about how these creatures of the night benefit us and the ecosystems they live in.
This event will happen outside and at night so dress appropriately for the weather and bring appropriate equipment (weather appropriate footwear, covered arms and ankles for mosquitos, headlamp or flashlight). In the case of rain or poor weather, the event will be cancelled. We ask all UBC Farm visitors to respect and enjoy the space, and to not disturb any plants, equipment, or research apparatus on site. Please watch your footing and stay on the roads or grass pathways. Please leave your pets at home. Also note there are washrooms on site, but only portable toilets.
This May, in honour of UN International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), the UBC Farm is hosting a series of events to celebrate biodiversity and its importance for our communities, health and planet. See all Biodiversity Days Events here!
Come learn about our nocturnal neighbours – bats! This walk will provide an introduction to bat biology and behaviour, the different bat species that live in and around Vancouver, and their importance to ecosystems and people. We will visit a nearby bat roost to observe bats emerge for the night, and will use ultrasonic microphones to listen for bat calls. We will not be handling any bats, just visually observing them and listening to their ultrasonic calls. Please note this event is not located on the UBC Farm – see location below!
(Main Mall and Memorial Road next to the Frederic Laserre and Old Administration Buildings)
This event will happen outside and at night so dress appropriately for the weather and bring appropriate equipment (weather appropriate clothing, headlamp or flashlight, lightweight foldable chair optional). In the case of rain or poor weather, the event will be cancelled.
This event is part of Biodiversity Days, a month-long celebration every May that honours the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22). Local celebrations highlight the many species, genes and ecosystems that sustain our communities. Hosted by UBC Botanical Garden in collaboration with SEEDS Sustainability Program and Climate Crisis in Urban Biodiversity Initiative (CCUB), this year’s events feature family nature walks, a student Research to Action Showcase, tree and bird tours, citizen science action, virtual events, practical workshops and more. Biodiversity Days is made possible with funding provided through the UBC Botanical Garden Community Outreach Fund and the SEEDS Sustainability Program.
Are you concerned about rising food insecurity in your own community? You’re not alone. Food insecurity affects one in five children in BC, visits to the food bank have risen exponentially year over year, while the problem is only worsening with the cost of living crisis, the impacts of the pandemic and extreme weather events.
On April 20, we invite you to join our panel of experts at our speaker series’ first in-person event as we explore creative and long-term solutions to tackle food insecurity in Vancouver.
This event features a panel discussion followed by a breakout session. Space is limited — register early at the form below to secure your spot. Snacks and refreshments will be provided, BYOM (bring your own mug)!
Global Lounge (Media Centre room) | 2205 Lower Mall Building 1, Vancouver, BC
Illyra Soebroto – Food Policy Assistant at the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems
Illyra Soebroto (she/her) is a fourth-year International Relations major and currently serves as a Food Policy Assistant at CSFS. In this role, she collaborates with various departments, including UBC Food Services, to develop a Campus Food Charter. While Illyra’s early education sparked her interest in policy analysis, her passion for sustainable food systems flourished after taking the course LFS 302b in her home country of Indonesia. During the course, she worked alongside local village members to troubleshoot their cassava-processing industry. As an International Relations student, Illyra tries to approach all of her work through an intersectional lens, which she finds crucial to creating an inclusive framework like the Campus Food Charter.
Joey Liu 廖星遥 – South Vancouver Neighbourhood House
Joey Liu 廖星遥 (she/her) is a first-generation Cantonese immigrant settler living on the sacred and stolen homelands of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She has been connecting herself and others through food for the last ten years. Joey is currently the Food Security Manager at South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, where she is working with her team and network of community partners to lead the South Vancouver Community Food Hub.
Theo Lamb – Quest Outreach Society
Theo Lamb serves as Executive Director of Quest Outreach Society where she works to disrupt the cycle of poverty through access to healthy and affordable food. By bridging the gap between food banks and traditional grocery stores, Quest provides a grocery experience based on principles of dignity, access, and sustainability across a network of non-profit grocery markets across the Lower Mainland. Theo is co-founder of Feeding Growth, a program currently run in partnership by Vancity and UBC Farm that is committed to supporting progressive food entrepreneurs interested in scaling their business.
We have reached maximum capacity for the event. Please complete the form below to be added to the waitlist. You will be emailed if a spot opens up.
The Food at the Tipping Point: Ways Forward from a Food System in Crisis series is brought to you by the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (CSFS), the BC Food Web, the Faculty of Land and Food Systems (LFS), and the Royal Bank of Canada. This 10-part speaker series addresses the urgent need for widespread, dramatic change and provides us inspiration and real solutions.
April 11, 2023
CSFS Associate and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology professor Dr. Leonard Foster (Michael Smith Labs) discussed how B.C.’s bee colonies will fare this year.
“My personal guess is we’ll be slightly better than last year, but that has to be taken with a grain of salt because last year was the worst ever by a large margin,” said Dr. Foster.
April 6, 2023
In the 40th episode of Organic BC’s podcast, CSFS Director Sean Smukler talks about his recent research and about organic practices that can lead to nutrient pollution in air and waterways, versus ones that tend to limit such outcomes.
April 3, 2023
Various UBC and international researchers, including CSFS Associate Dr. Jennifer Black, co-signed a letter arguing that guaranteeing the right to food and a living income through real living wages, together with adequate social security provision, is essential to ending the need for charitable food aid in all societies.