2 January, CITY OF ELMINA – Sime Darby Property launched the Elmina Community Edible Gardens today at the City of Elmina, a 5,000-acre themed township development and the first township in Malaysia dedicated to wellness and liveability.
The community edible gardens is a new initiative by the developer with the support of the community and Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), providing residents with the space and opportunity to grow edible plants, while at the same time nurturing healthy relationships within the community.
The Elmina Community Edible Gardens has over 100 plots allocated at the Elmina Central Park in Elmina West. The developer hopes to increase the allotments and will be introducing similar initiatives across other development phases in the City of Elmina in the future, subject to suitability of the area, recognised benefits and response from the residents.
Sime Darby Property aims to establish community edible gardening as a key part of sustainable living for the future. This includes linking the Elmina Community Edible Gardens with an organic waste recycling program, which is planned to be introduced township-wide to the community.
Sime Darby Property will also assist the community to start a gardening club in conjunction with this initiative. The developer aims to coordinate programs and activities with MBSA and other organisations, to provide a range of beneficial programmes to support the community and share knowledge for healthier living.
Sime Darby Property General Manager Appollo Leong said, “A thriving and vibrant community is only achievable by nurturing strong and healthy relationships between residents and through encouraging an active lifestyle. There is nothing more important than establishing a functional community to ensure prosperity and harmony within the township. Sime Darby Property aims to not only build sustainable homes and environment for people to live but also to nurture a healthy community.”
The community edible gardens is one of the township’s sustainability features that was included in the development’s master plan. Adequate spaces and land was identified and reserved for the purpose of urban edible gardening.
Community gardening presents various benefits to Elmina West residents. It makes lives more sustainable and reduces carbon emissions. By growing locally, the community consumes locally and buys locally, without the need for additional logistics which may harm the environment in the long run.
The community edible gardens support the township’s eight pillars of wellness that covers spiritual, social, emotional, environmental, physical, intellectual, occupational and family. Besides providing the community with constant food supply, the initiative is able to promote community resilience and togetherness–a platform that builds strong and caring communities.
Updates on Sime Darby Property activities and developments can be found on simedarbyproperty.com, Facebook, Instagram and the Sime Darby Property Mobile App (available for download via the App Store and Google Play).