A new seven-acre market garden is being laid out in Cirencester to demonstrate climate and nature friendly farming methods.

The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) has secured £110,000 funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for the GREAT Zerodig Project next to the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) with partners Zerodig Earth.

The project will help to inspire and teach 1,000 agricultural students per year in agroecology and regenerative farming.

It aims to boost understanding of the benefits of agro-ecological food production, strengthen local economy and foster community collaboration for sustainable, healthy food.

The garden will grow vegetables using the 'Zerodig' method, an innovative form of regenerative horticulture, which will supply customers with nutritious, local produce.

The Zerodig method, a step-by-step no-dig method further developed by Christopher Upton and Dr Mario Peters, prioritises climate action, ecosystem restorationand healthy local food production.

The funding will be used to employ a lead grower and project manager for the first two years of set-up.

Organisers hope that, once up and running, the site will become a commercially viable fruit and veg business, supplying local customers with nutritious, regeneratively grown produce, whilst providing RAU students with the opportunity to gain practical experience of small-scale commercial food production, while also learning how agro-ecology could be applied to the wider farming landscape.

The GREAT Zerodig Project supports the the Gloucestershire food and farming vision by providing opportunities for people to grow and buy sustainable and healthy food, teaching practical skills to use at home or in a future job, collaborating with local organisations to achieve a shared vision of enhancing nature and communicating the links with ecosystem health and greater food resilience.