Urban farming has gained popularity in Malaysia, especially in big cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. Conceptually, urban farming means growing crops or animals in cities thus boosting the economy of the communities. Although urban farming seems like a popular alternative lifestyle among westerners, but the history can be traced back to about 3,500 B.C., according to the American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) blog – as quoted from Aurora University blog entry. In Kuala Lumpur – Selangor area alone, there are few popular spots for urban farming such as Green Fingers in Semenyih, Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, and TTDI Edible Community Garden.
UTM-ICISB Collaboration for Urban Fish Farming Programme
This August, UTM collaborated with IIUM Consultancy and Innovation to conduct urban farming training among PPR residents in Kuala Lumpur. The training program is called “Catfish Farming using Canvas Pond” and part of UTM’s research studies. It aimed to give exposure on urban fish farming and to boost the economy for the B40 community. 20 participants from PPR Jalan Semarak was chosen as participant for the 3-month program which ended earlier in October.
The 3-month training program was led by Encik Janauri which consisted of an 8-hour workshop and a 3-month coaching session. There are 10 modules highlighted which include canvas pond setup, harvesting and marketing, and record-keeping and financial analysis. These modules will give insights to participants on farm management, scaling up, and proper documentation and management.
One of the participants said the program was a great initiative that caters for the low-income community to boost their economy through such community activities. He hoped more similar training programs can be planned in future specifically tailored to younger generations. ICISB has set eyes on more community-favoured programs and aims to have more collaboration from Kulliyyahs so that we can create generations of skills from IIUM.
“Where Expertise Creates Excellence“
