Govt launches policy to regulate urban community farming

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin (pic) on Tuesday (Aug 3) virtually launched the Urban Community Farming Policy to serve as a guide to regulate and propel urban farming in the country.

It outlines five thrusts and 17 strategies which are in line with regulations and procedures currently enforced by local government authorities.

According to Zuraida, the farming policy would ensure effective urban landscape management, involving joint responsibilities between local authorities and the local community, with emphasis on the importance of optimising use of land in the neighbourhood or permitted open spaces.

She said the policy is an initiative to empower the urban communities and create opportunities and rooms for individuals and communities to manage the short-term social economy by encouraging organic vegetable farming.

The policy is also aimed at ensuring the public knows the do's and don't's, she added.

She said it also reflected the government’s commitment in ensuring the continuity of the community farming programme carried out by residents of the People's Housing Project (PPR) through the Muafakat Komuniti Secretariat to achieve the objective of one PPR one community farm.- Bernama