Farms of the Future Are Emerging from Penang
By Madeliene Tan
May 2025 FEATURE
COMMUNITY FARMING IN Penang began since the 18th century with the establishment of spice plantations such as nutmeg and clove farms.[1] Since then, agriculture has been vital to Penang’s development. In recent years, urban communal farming initiatives have gained prominence as a sustainable way to address environmental issues and food security.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), food security is built on four essential pillars: availability, access, utilisation and stability,[2] and these communal farms hold the potential to provide that at the very local level. Moreover, these initiatives also help reduce waste and educate people on the importance of self-sufficiency and on decreasing dependency on imported produce.
The informal establishment of small-scale community gardens have always existed, but the concept of urban farming became a growing trend in urban areas such as George Town in the 2010s. Though they vary in location, size, focus and community involvement, community farms and urban farms both aim to upkeep the quality of life of their respective communities, as well as provide fresh, locally cultivated produce. Urban farms are typically small and business-oriented. They prioritise creative, space-efficient food production to increase food security. Community farms tend to be bigger and are usually situated in rural or suburban regions. Often done as a hobby or a collaborative activity, these farms frequently prioritise community involvement and education over profit.[3]
Community and Urban Farming
Kebun Kita(R), launched in 2020 at the Penang Digital Library, is Penang’s first self-sustaining urban farm, courtesy of the innovative technology provided by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). The university deployed solar panels for sustainable and renewable energy, an automatic irrigation system for consistent hydration for the crops and vertical hydroponic systems for efficient use of the constrained space. A zero-waste management system was also set in place to collect rainwater. There are raised soil beds to improve drainage and reduce soil compaction, promoting healthier root development.[4] The farm is now managed by Bayan Greentech, and in the past few years, they have initiated green education programmes to cultivate the love of growing food within the community.
Think City has also started small-scale farming programmes—what they call the Community-based Food Security and Organic Nutrition Programme at Seberang Perai. Aiming to enhance food security and promote organic farming, the programme currently involves five grant recipients and 21 participants with private farms undergoing training in sustainable practices such as Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) preparation, composting, plant care and digital marketing. These community gardens engage local participants to produce sustainable yields. Think City’s monthly theory-and-practice training equips them to farm, supporting local economies via produce marketing and strengthening community resilience for a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.
While traditional farming is struggling,[5] Penang is shifting its focus towards high-value crops such as fruits and herbs. Despite its initial popularity, urban farming needs additional funding for their continuous growth.
Linear Park (Taman Jajar)
To address pollution and promote sustainability, soil expert and environmental scientist, Kam Suan Pheng mooted Penang’s Sungai Kelian revitalisation. She was in charge of cleaning up the river and setting up a communal farm beside it.
Kam advocated for organic farming methods to preserve water quality, engaging local communities in ecological conservation, and reduce pollution from waste dumping and agricultural runoff along Sungai Kelian. By turning the neglected riverbank into a zone for education and biodiversity conservation, she wished to see the community garden grow to become a beneficial reinforcement of these objectives. A group of dedicated community members known as the Friends of Sungai Kelian came together to activate an open space farm for everyone to contribute to in the midst of the pandemic.
The farm integrates community engagement with sustainable farming methods, making it an ideal model for agroecology. The enhanced water quality and revived biodiversity gave the locals the opportunity to grow organic produce, at the same time raising awareness for environmental issues.[6] Kam and her team had built a “collector”, a rainwater harvester for use during dry seasons, and a tube-well to get water from underground.
Not Without Challenges
A major roadblock faced by communal farms is the lack of volunteers and commitment. People who lost their jobs during the pandemic toiled their plot of land, and volunteers with time on their hands also contributed. “But after Covid-19, most of the volunteers got their jobs back, so there weren’t many left to manage the farm,” Kam said.
In June 2023, the Mayor of the City Council of Penang (MBPP), A. Rajendran and his team visited the farm to offer their support, expressing interest in helping to upgrade the farm with extended technical and infrastructure support, improving the farming practices, and increasing productivity on the farm. Their continued support has enabled the community farm to thrive in the planting of various vegetables and fruits.[7]
The Taman Jajar project was funded by donations from interested parties, and some even contributed to building parameter fences around the farm as goats from the nearby villages kept coming over to consume their crops.
The challenges faced by many of these communities and urban farms could be overcome by policies that help them sustain their communities, such as increasing education for the public and raising awareness of these issues. Penang Green Council’s (PGC) Masterplan for Urban Farming (2020) suggests urban agriculture to be incorporated into local plans, so that this type of land or building use can be taken up in the future.[8] However, the possible implementation of such plans is still underway after a request for a rework by the Penang Chief Minister, Chow Kon Yeow.
Footnotes
[1] https://www.jstor.org/stable/41493709?
[2] Ensuring food security: why agency and sustainability matter. (2024, March 12). HLPE– High Level Panel of Experts. https://www.fao.org/cfs/cfs-hlpe/insights/news-insights/news-detail/ensuring-food-security--why-agency-and-sustainability-matter/en#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20pillars%20are%20often,equally%20important%20for%20food%20security.
[4] https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/raised-bed-gardening/
[6] https://consumer.org.my/agroecology-for-all-initiatives-in-malaysia-community-garden/
Madeliene Tan
is currently studying at the University of Reading Malaysia and aspires to be a lawyer. She firmly believes that everyone is deserving of equality and justice.
