A Northport employee sharing knowledge about sustainable agriculture with schoolchildren in Klang, specifically on hydroponic and vertical farming methods.
A large-scale vertical farming project has been initiated by Northport Bhd and Klang Royal City Council (MBDK).
The initiative is aimed at fostering sustainable urban agriculture.
Dubbed the “Circle of Life Community Garden”, the project is set to expand urban farming in Klang, promoting community engagement while integrating principles of a circular economy.
Northport and MBDK would work closely with schools, mosques and residents of nearby housing areas to ensure the community was at the heart of the initiative, said Northpoint in a press statement.
By engaging these groups, the project aims to educate the local community about the benefits of sustainable agriculture.
The project will also involve partnerships with stakeholders from the Port Klang port and logistics industry.
“We first initiated the vertical farming project at our premises in August last year and have seen positive results since then,” said Northport chief executive officer Datuk Azman Shah Mohd Yusof.
“We extended the initiative to nearby schools in Klang as part of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme aimed at raising awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability among schoolchildren.”
He said the next phase was collaboration with MBDK for a large-scale project focusing on developing the nearby community with the assistance of port and logistics industry players.
Klang mayor Datin Paduka Noraini Roslan said, “This innovative project initiated by Northport is an excellent initiative as it combines environmental sustainability and community engagement to develop the ecosystem, particularly in Klang.
“We have allocated a piece of land in Port Klang for the project.
“We hope more organisations will participate in this initiative as it contributes to the well-being of the local community.”
Vertical farming is an innovative agricultural system where crops are grown in vertically stacked layers within a controlled environment.
This method allows for efficient resource use, requiring minimal monitoring and significantly less water.
It requires a smaller land area compared to traditional farming methods, making it highly adaptable to various locations, including urban areas and industrial sites.
Vertical farming also encourages a circular economy by emphasising sustainability, minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency.
For Northport’s vertical farming project, the water supply comes from its rainwater harvesting system.
The stored water is then supplied directly to the water pump which is powered by solar energy, ensuring an eco-friendly and renewable power source.
In addition to sustainable water management, the system utilises fertilisers produced by an aerobic digester machine.
The machine biologically converts solid food waste materials from canteens around Northport into compost, providing nutrient-rich fertiliser for the plants.
Funding for this project comes from proceeds of Northport’s recycling campaign.
Since its launch in 2018, Northport’s annual 3R programme “Ayuh Kitar Semula” has successfully collected more than 217 tonnes of recyclable items worth RM75,254, the statement said.
It added that the large-scale vertical farming project initiated by Northport was expected to bring significant benefits to the Klang community.
These include increased access to fresh, locally grown vegetables, enhanced community engagement and education on sustainable practices, reduced carbon footprint and landfill waste through innovative farming techniques and improving local food security and resilience.
The statement added that as the project progressed, Northport and MBDK aimed to expand the initiative to include more community partners and stakeholders.
