PETALING JAYA:PETALING JAYA: It was not that long ago Tony Yong and Emil Jihad, business partners in the food and beverage business, decided to work together on an urban farming project in Bandar Utama. Their first project was at the rooftop in One Utama Shopping Mall which later relocated to an open area in between the Avante Hotel and Shell petrol station in Bandar Utama, called Utama Farm.
According to Yong, it was by chance that Urban Farm started. Bandar Utama Properties agreed to rent the empty land – they had urban farming in mind, and Yong and Emil were ready to embark on the journey
The 1.6 acres of land at Utama Farm was previously used to manage excess rainwater around Bandar Utama. The landowner constructed detention ponds which are now used for Close Loop Farming. These are now converted to fishponds.
Utama Farm grows pesticide-free vegetable through hydroponic NFT (nutrient film technique) technology, aquaponic system and soiled based farming. Closed Loop Farming reduces the dependency on external resources, minimize waste, and create more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Water from the fishponds is used to water the crop and no water leaves the farm. All organic wastes from the farm and restaurants are used for composting.
The farm grows more than a dozen types of vegetables which are available for sale including Romaine, Butter Head and local vegetables such as Siew Bak Choy, Choi Sam and Kailan. The farm’s vegetables free of pesticide and are not mass produced as they are grown for the restaurants on site and for the local community. The local consumption of vegetable grown on site means the “carbon footprint” associated with transportation between farms and markets, is almost eliminated.
Utama Farm’s main objective is to promote public awareness about sustainable farming and encourages clean and healthy eating. The non usage of pesticide is self-evident in the combined farming of fish and vegetables at Utama Farm. Fish and prawn will not survive even if a small amount of pesticide is used.
