From major infrastructure overhauls to grassroots environmental efforts, the newsroom continues to document local challenges, showcase success stories and amplify community voices.
Here is a look at how urban farming projects nationwide are uniting residents to transform idle spaces into thriving food gardens.
A growing community
Nai Hai Huat, 66, starts his day at 6am while most residents of the Prima View and Halaman Teratai apartments are still asleep.
At that early hour, he is already climbing a narrow hillside path behind the flats in Sungai Nibong, Penang.
At the top awaits a sight that fills him with pride – rows of thriving vegetables growing on land that was once overgrown, neglected and largely forgotten.
For Nai, who has lived at Prima View since 2005, tending the community farm has become more than a hobby – it is a labour of love.
“I come here almost every day to check the plants, remove weeds, look for pests and make sure the soil has enough moisture,” he said while inspecting rows of bitter gourd, ladies’ finger, long beans, winged beans, corn and watermelon.
The farm is the fulfilment of a dream that took root during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Like many others confined to their homes, Nai and several residents began clearing small patches of land to grow vegetables.
“We wanted something meaningful to do and a way to stay active.
“I had hoped we could one day have a proper community farm where residents could come together and grow food for everyone to enjoy,” he said.
That dream is now a reality.
Residents’ committee chairman P. Ravi, 60, said the land was initially cleared after complaints from a neighbouring school and police station about overgrown vegetation behind the apartments.
“Once the area was cleaned up, we started discussing how it could be put to better use.”
The breakthrough came when resident Dr G. Subramaniam proposed applying for funding under the Sejahtera Komuniti Madani Programme (Sejati Madani).
The community secured a RM100,000 grant and approval to utilise the idle land.
Within three months, the hillside was transformed into a productive urban farm, with the first harvest arriving just six weeks after planting.
Today, the vegetables are sold to residents through the community WhatsApp group at below market prices, helping families stretch household budgets.
The farm’s greatest harvest, however, may be the friendships it has cultivated.
“It has become a place where neighbours get to know one another,” said Subramaniam.
“Retirees have found renewed purpose, children are learning where food comes from and residents of different races are building stronger friendships.”
Subramaniam said he hoped the farm would eventually become a learning centre for schoolchildren, proving that agriculture can be innovative, sustainable and rewarding.
The project has also embraced modern farming methods.
Using Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the team monitors soil conditions and irrigation to improve crop yields.
Cultivating change
In Klang, Selangor, what was once an overgrown riverbank lined with haphazard farms and illegal dumping sites has been transformed into a thriving community farming hub.
There, vegetables flourish and residents are taking greater pride in their surroundings.
The transformation along the Sungai Aur riverbank in Bandar Bukit Tinggi 2 was made possible through the Breezes of Aur Nature Group (BANG) project,
a community-driven initiative supported by the United Nations Development Programme Small Grant Project.
According to One Community Social, Moral and Educational Organisation founder and chief coordinator Elan Perumal, 60, the project was designed to improve farming practices while restoring the health and appearance of the riverbank.
“Before work began, many of the farms were crowded with overgrown vegetation that obscured views of the river and made the area resemble a small jungle,” he said.
Today, farmers cultivate crops such as chilli, spinach, mustard greens and brinjal in a cleaner, more organised environment.
“The aim was not only to beautify the area but also to help residents appreciate the river behind their homes and understand the importance of protecting it,” said Elan.
To kick-start the project, organic seedlings and bio-fertilisers were distributed to participants, while workshops introduced farmers and residents to sustainable agricultural practices.
Environmental conservation formed a key part of the initiative.
Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) was planted along vulnerable sections of the riverbank to reduce soil erosion, while a former illegal dumping site was rehabilitated and turned into a cleaner public space.
Community engagement, particularly among women, was encouraged through farming workshops and distribution of 100 eggplant saplings to promote balcony gardening at home.
“Farmers now enjoy repeated crop yields and have developed a stronger sense of ownership over the riverbank environment,” Elan said.
The project has also nurtured a new generation of environmental stewards.
Through the Friends of River BANG programme, about 60 youth participate in bi-weekly river patrols and environmental assessments under the guidance of trained facilitators.
Against the odds
When residents of Block A at Taman Impian Emas Flats in Skudai, Johor, first proposed turning an empty plot of land beside their flats into a community farm, not everyone believed it would succeed.
Many dismissed the idea as “hangat-hangat tahi ayam” – something that would fade away after the initial excitement.
For project head Muhammad Azli Jasman, those doubts only strengthened the community’s resolve.
“There were moments when we questioned ourselves too, but we chose to stay committed to our vision,” he said.
“Today, we are proud to have proven the doubters wrong.
“What began as a small effort has grown into something meaningful and that journey makes this achievement even more rewarding.”
The once unused patch of land is now a thriving urban farm producing fresh vegetables for residents while bringing neighbours closer together.
The project, which began in July 2024, received RM25,000 in funding under the local council’s Iskandar Puteri Low-Carbon Community Grant programme, along with support from a nearby mosque community.
The initiative also received encouragement from Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
A second-year grant of RM30,000 allowed the community to expand the project and introduce IoT technology to make farming more efficient.
“Sensors allow us to monitor conditions remotely and respond quickly to the needs of the crops,” Muhammad Azli said.
Today, the farm produces a variety of chemical-free vegetables, including bok choy, kangkung, bayam, kailan, ladies’ finger, brinjal, sawi, long bean and cucumber.
Between 10 and 20 residents help manage the farm, while harvested vegetables are sold below market prices through the community’s WhatsApp group, making fresh produce more accessible to lower-income families.
The farm has also attracted visitors from neighbouring areas who stop by on weekends to purchase the produce.
Muhammad Azli said every ringgit earned was reinvested into the project, ensuring it continued to grow – much like the community spirit that first brought the residents together around a shared dream.
