From MCO hobby to thriving business: Kluang’s urban farmers flourish

Focus

28 Sep 2024 01:08pm

Zainal Abidin Ariffin (second from left) with the KRT community showcasing the yields obtained through urban farming, such as pekasam tilapia fish, mushrooms and bitter gourd, which have now become an additional source of income for them. Photo by Bernama.

KLUANG - The Taman Kiaramas Neighbourhood Watch Area (KRT) community, located in the heart of Kluang town, has diligently utilised available land to cultivate crops, and are now reaping the rewards of their hard work.

Its chairman, Zainal Abidin Ariffin, shared that the initiative for urban farming began in 2020, during the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO), a time when the community sought ways to fill their free time.

Initially, the KRT community farmed in the area surrounding the public hall, for personal consumption, but they never anticipated that this activity would evolve into a profitable venture.

"We had planned to cease cultivation once the MCO ended, but seeing the potential for future income, we decided to continue,” he explained.

"At first, we only grew a few vegetables, like mustard greens and cabbage, but now we have expanded our crop variety to include mushrooms, peppers, sweet potatoes, rock melons, and even tilapia fish for making pekasam.”

Zainal Abidin further explained that their vegetables and tilapia fish are now sold, not only throughout the Kluang district, but they also receive orders from as far as Batu Pahat, and traders at Pasar Larkin in Johor Bahru.

"Among our most popular products are the mushrooms. Initially, we prepared around 1,000 blocks, but we have since expanded to 6,000 blocks, yielding over 30 kilogrammes (kg) of mushrooms per month,” he said.

The community’s farming initiative has evolved into a profitable venture; their initial plan to cease cultivation was abandoned after receiving recognition from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) as the recipient of the Anugerah Komuniti Ceria.

Additionally, Zainal Abidin noted that this aqua-agro project serves as a training location for retiring military personnel, offering courses in collaboration with the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) to equip them with agricultural skills.

"We in the KRT community are also grateful to several government agencies, which have supported us in making this agricultural project a success, including the Department of National Unity and National Integrity (JPNIN), the Department of Agriculture, and the Kluang Municipal Council (MPK) Foundation,” he said. - BERNAMA