As part of the project, a course will be designed to include such topics as planning and start-up of a CSA, models for organizing and running such an enterprise, and various agronomic aspects such as sound soil management and growing food crops under consideration of varying local climate conditions.

In recent years, there has been a significantly increasing interest in growing one’s own food. Throughout Europe, there is a lot of activity in small-scale food production. The concept of community supported agriculture is especially significant in this context.

The number of CSAs in Norway has grown from 1 in 2006 to 40 by the end of 2015. Oikos, NORSØK and Landbruk Nordvest have been witnessing an increasing number of requests from people with an interest in starting or becoming linked to a CSA. This growing interest can be seen as a sign that an increasing number of people would like to have closer contact with food production, and thereby get a better understanding of where and how our food is produced. Last but not least, joining a CSA enables people to participate in the actual growing of food crops.