Salak south: The atmosphere behind Block B of 1Razak Mansion in Salak South here was lively on Wednesday morning. The laughter of elderly residents from various ethnic backgrounds could be heard from afar as they gathered at the open space to tend to vegetables, fruits, and herbs they have been growing for the past eight months.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the site, aptly named the 'Food Forest', has become more than just a place to grow fresh produce. It has evolved into a space where neighbors come together, exercise, share gardening skills, and enjoy the fruits of their labor. "Look over there. I planted that area three months ago, and the chillies have already started growing. There are quite a lot of them," said 75-year-old Siti Hanah Ahmad, pointing to a small plot at one corner of the site.
For 64-year-old Alice Fernandez, the Food Forest is also a place to relax and connect with her neighbors. "It's a good way to connect with nature and relax the mind. Without this space, residents would just be stuck at home with not much to do, which is not good for their mental well-being," she said.
The initiative has brought an abandoned space to life. It is hard to imagine that the 560-square-foot Food Forest was once an overgrown site. Today, it is a favorite spot for residents to relax, socialize, and share their harvests. 1Razak Mansion Management Corporation (MC) chairman Anthony Tan mentioned that residents previously avoided the area due to its proximity to a hall often used for funeral ceremonies.
The initiative, spearheaded by PWD Smart FarmAbility Sdn Bhd founder Dr. Billy Tang Chee Seng, aims to go beyond conventional urban farming by combining food security, environmental rehabilitation, healthy ageing, and community participation. In an urban environment where space is limited and ageing residents can easily become disconnected, Tang believes food production can help reconnect people with their neighbors and nature.
Tang explained that the Food Forest concept was designed around a broader regenerative ecosystem that links food production with soil restoration, biodiversity, nutrition education, circular resource use, and community participation. The Soil-U-tion Regenerative Aquaponics Satellite Farm is one of the tools developed to bring food production and environmental learning into space-constrained settings such as residential communities, schools, and elderly homes.
The broader Food as Medicine pathway explores the relationship between healthy soil, nutritious food, dietary diversity, fermentation, gut-health literacy, and community well-being. Residents are taught basic soil stewardship, moisture management, and simple pH monitoring, as well as harvesting methods that allow suitable vegetables to continue regenerating.
Beyond food production, changes in the immediate environment have been observed since the Food Forest was established. Bees, birds, and earthworms have been seen returning to the area, demonstrating that biodiversity can coexist even within densely developed urban communities. The Food Forest is also being developed as an educational space and learning center, especially for corporations practicing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.
For Dr. Tang, the objective of the Food Forest is not necessarily to make the community completely self-sufficient in food but to build enough knowledge and skills for residents to respond when food affordability or supply becomes a challenge. "At least if anything happens, they can grow food for their community," he said.