Urban Farming, Community Gardens Enhance Food Security In Selangor

SHAH ALAM, Jan 15 (Bernama) -- Selangor continues to intensify efforts to strengthen the state’s food security through the expansion of urban agriculture and community gardens, which are increasingly recognised as effective measures to address the rising cost of living and enhance the well-being of urban communities.

As of last year, a total of 391 registered community gardens had been established across Selangor and are monitored by local authorities and the Selangor Agriculture Department.

Of these, 86 per cent are located in urban areas, highlighting the significant potential of urban agriculture in the country’s most urbanised state.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Food Security Chair Holder, Professor Datin Dr Fatimah Mohamed Arshad, said that although urban agriculture practices in Malaysia are not yet widespread and comprehensive data remains limited, initiatives implemented in Selangor have demonstrated a positive impact on local food security.

According to her, community gardens in urban areas not only enable residents to produce their own food, but also help reduce living costs while raising awareness of healthy eating habits and environmental sustainability.

“Urban agriculture can enhance food security and safety, while allowing produce to be consumed by households or shared within the local community.

“Through community gardens, residents from various ethnic backgrounds and age groups can work together, share knowledge and build trust, fostering unity and a stronger sense of belonging,” she said when contacted by Bernama.

In the long term, Fatimah said urban agriculture in Selangor has the potential to become a significant contributor to the state’s food security if implemented on a wider scale and supported by modern technologies such as vertical farming, smart greenhouses and aquaponics systems.

She added that a densely populated state like Selangor is well-suited to this approach, as demonstrated by several developed countries that have achieved higher levels of self-sufficiency in the supply of vegetables and fruits.

Meanwhile, Dean of the Faculty of Agro-Based Industry at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Associate Professor Dr Seri Intan Mokhtar, said the development of urban farms in Selangor is a strategic initiative to ensure access to safe and nutritious food, particularly for urban communities.

She noted that although community gardens are currently small in scale, their potential is substantial if systematically planned and supported by clear policies.

“Urban farms can enhance Selangor’s food security by encouraging local food production, thereby reducing dependence on external supplies and mitigating logistical challenges,” she said.

The initiative aligns with the state government’s position, as previously outlined by Selangor Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Ir Izham Hashim, who announced that Selangor is expanding its community garden programme as part of a broader strategy to strengthen food security.

According to him, the initiative is being implemented in line with the Selangor Agro Transformation Plan (PeTA), which focuses on strengthening the food supply chain from seed production and breeding to marketing, while also boosting productivity and income within the state’s agricultural sector.

-- BERNAMA