Experiencing urban farming with senior citizens

UTAR volunteers with other senior volunteers at TTDI The Edible Community Garden

Twenty-four UTAR volunteers consisting of students and staff gathered at TTDI The Edible Community Garden, Kuala Lumpur on 12 November 2022 for some gardening activities. They joined a group of senior volunteers, who were led by Margaret Lee from TTDI The Edible Community Garden.

As one of the finalists on the Best Placemaker ASEAN Award 2021 (community-public space), TTDI The Edible Community Garden is a community-owned project, supported by the residents of Taman Tun Dr Ismail and its neighbouring community. They rely on the goodwill of the community and the passion of urban gardeners to maintain the garden in the name of sustainability.

Student volunteers helping to transfer 100 bags of soil

During the four-hour activity, UTAR volunteers had the opportunity to work in the garden, preparing compost, transporting 100 bags of soil from another garden, and repairing and cleaning the garden. The volunteers were divided into four different groups for various activities, led by the senior volunteers. Before the activities started, Margaret Lee was invited to share a brief introduction about TTDI The Edible Community Garden, which was once an abandoned land. According to her, TTDI The Edible Community Garden was established in the year 2013 in partnership with TTDI’s residential association and Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL). She shared the significance of the park in relation to food security and biodiversity in urban settings as well as the contributions of retired senior citizens and other urban residents.

Margaret Lee briefing the volunteers

Besides conducting gardening activities, the senior volunteers were also seen putting different kinds of vegetables and local fruits up for sale. They also sold eggs. One of the student volunteers bought a tray of 30 chicken eggs to support them.

Most of the student volunteers agreed that they had a great farming experience. Throughout the event, student and staff volunteers also had the chance to see a variety of wildflowers, fresh fruits and vegetables. They also chatted with some senior retired volunteers, including a senior Japanese man from Tokyo, who is currently residing with his wife in Petaling Jaya.

The gardening activity at the Edible Community Garden was a fun yet valuable learning experience for the students and staff. It provided them with an opportunity to contribute their time and effort to the environment and society. Margaret Lee hopes they would consider taking part in the upcoming River Care project, led by Mr Sathis Venkitasamy from the Global Environmental Centre (GEC), as it would provide them with an opportunity to involve in river protection and conservation effort.

Margaret Lee explaining how to prepare compost in a plastic bag

Staff and students assisting with the gardening activity