The environmental engineering major at UPS-Cuenca started a project called "Urban Agriculture", whose aim is to use green spaces in the university to grow vegetables as well giving university spaces a good appearance. 

Environmental students led by professor Fredi Portilla planted several vegetable species in a space which they will now call Tarcisio Battochio, in honor of a gardener with broad experience. 

The aim of the project, which is an initiative from UPS President Javier Herrán, is to plant vegetables and carry out Urban Agriculture and use this production to measure, analyze and evaluate pollution in the environment, especially the pollution caused by cars. The project also encourages the production of vegetables as an alternative resource for popular economy; the garden gives UPS-Cuenca a nice scenery and provides students with some leisure time. 

This initiative will help the biotechnology and environmental area develop and progress, it will also help support environmental mitigation plans, the conservation of natural resources and it will allow the use of agrienvironment technologies in the management of urban soil.