Goal 2: Zero Hunger

The University of Wollongong actively facilitates knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers, local farmers, food producers, industry representatives, and community stakeholders through a range of events and initiatives. When UOW held Global Climate Change Week in 2025, two free events focused on sustainable food growing, particularly for beginners:

• Microgreens Challenge and Veggie-Meter – sustainable growing of food using the in-campus Farmwall aquaponics unit.
• Tour Pickles Patch: A Backyard Blueprint for Climate Resilience – growing of food, use of solar energy, water-wise systems for thriving biodiversity in the context of circularity and sustainability in the domestic setting.

Previously, UOW partnered with the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance and the Nutrition Society of Australia to host the Agroecology Dialogue, an interactive workshop that brought together local farmers, First Peoples, activists, and community members to discuss sustainable, community-driven food systems and share knowledge on agroecological approaches to food production.

UOW provides local farmers, food producers, and land managers with access to university expertise, scientific resources and research capabilities that support sustainable agricultural practices.

Through its Blue Futures Translational Research Initiative (BF-TRI), UOW engages with the local Illawarra and South Coast regions regarding the emerging local Blue Economy, including aqua culture. A collaborative relationship between Signature Oysters in Bateman's Bay and Binary Tech was fostered and IoT sensor technology trialled in their oyster farm as part of the technology transfer initiatives.

Additionally, through the Janet Cosh Herbarium, UOW makes botanical collections, plant identification resources and specialist ecological expertise available to community and industry users for free, supporting sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation.

UOW’s partnership with Healthy Cities Illawarra, aims to address the underlying social, economic and environmental causes of health inequity. Healthy Cities Illawarra is a local organisation working to create healthy environments and enable healthy choices for the people of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven. Together, we are committed to taking action to prevent and control diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, asthma, dementia, depression and anxiety.

Join the movement for a healthier Illawarra and Shoalhaven!