JOHOR BAHRU – Urban residence were encouraged to plant their own vegetables around their house which could help them to manage their budget as grocery items nowadays could cost a pretty penny, including vegetables.

As a part of the initiative, Innovation Centre in Agritechnology for Advanced Bioprocessing (ICA), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), has organized ICA Open Day.

This one-day program, held at Institute of Bioproduct Development UTM, was to instil the importance of urban farming concept among suburban neighbourhood.

The program director, Abdul Rahman Jabir Mohd Din, stated other than pick-your-own vegetables’ activity, starter plants and seeding sale and urban farm exhibition, this program included a sharing session with the founder of SUBUR Community Gardens, Chan Li Jin with the topic ‘Edible City: What and Why We Need to Grow in Urban Spaces’.

“This program enhanced the strategic cooperation between UTM and the industry to create the master plan in building the concept of urban farming and biotic farming,” he added.

The program was launched by the head of Development Division, Office of Asset and Development UTM, Zulkarnain Mohd Shah, together with Prof Dr Mohamad Roji Sarmidi, director of ICA.

ICA UTM is the excellence centre which focuses on the development of innovative agritechnology for the promotion of human health and wellness.

ICA Open Day visitor, Saimah Tukimon, supported the idea of farming in the neighbourhood as this could reduce the chemical usage on the vegetables, which could lead to healthier life.

“This activity could also enable us to share and enjoy the vegetables together, enabling us to create tight bond with the neighbours,” she expressed.

BY Nur Shafiqah Ahamad Zainuddin