Urban Farming, A Potential Solution to Food Security in Malaysia.

Malaysia scored 71 in the GFSI index, marginally above the global average of 68. Malaysia was listed 39th in overall standing and 7th in the Asian region. Despite the average score, Malaysia has gained a 5.1% increase in the index from 2020 to 2021, the highest among 113 countries. Despite a significant increase in ratings, the index exposed a weakness in Malaysia’s ability to adapt to changing climate and susceptibility to natural resource risks. Poor adaptability will contribute to the incidence of food insecurity in the country. Over the mainstream media, countless news of food shortages, price hikes and dependencies on food import has put pressure on low-income families. The severity of the issue needs to motivate the community to explore new opportunities to reduce food shortages and suggest urban farming as a potential solution.

Urban farming involved horticulture, animal culture, aquaculture, and other practices for producing fresh food or other agricultural products. The ground-breaking practice utilizes space in an urban setting. The development of underutilized space farming will generate value or output that will be beneficial to the owner or society. On a household scale, urban farming will reduce the family reliance on commercial agricultural produce and imported foods. Therefore, reducing family expenditure and promoting appreciation of gardening activity.

Urban farming can be upscale to develop and support a more extensive implementation. It can coexist with smart cities as it is related to urban economies, culture, science, and technology. The adoption of urban farming indicates that a city’s economic development has reached a higher level. Efficient development and utilization of urban space can improve the ecological environment of a city. The concept can effectively increase the green area and expand food production capacity, and indirectly, reduce urban pollution and carbon footprint.