KOTA KINABALU: The landscape of residential areas within the city is expected to be given a lift when the permission for urban farming is approved by the City Hall soon.

       This concept, an adaptation of a similar programme in Peninsular Malaysia, is also expected to allow residents to produce self-sufficient vegetable gardens as well as contribute to low carbon emissions, among other benefits.

       City Hall’s Landscape Department director Rozie Khan Halik said they were in the final phase of finalising the terms and conditions for urban farming and other implementation matters, and are expected to launch the programme very soon.

       He said this concept would not only help beautify empty and unused spaces within residential areas, but would also create a balance of environmental harmony and development.

       “More green in the city can help reduce carbon emissions if done properly and in large scale, with participation from all residential areas.

       “It will also allow participating residents to grow their own vegetables, thus helping to reduce the cost of living and maybe even let them sell whatever they are not able to finish in the long run,” said Rozie.

       He said that as not all empty spaces were under City Hall’s jurisdiction, residents might need to liaise with the respective management offices to get permission and identify the terms, lot allocation and areas that could be planted. However, all these details as well as matters like how to fairly distribute the lots for farming and what types of vegetables or plants that are allowed will be finalised soon, he added.

       Rozie said other factors that needed to be considered were ways to implement urban farming in high- density residential areas and how to ensure that these plants would not cause any nuisance to others.

       He said this would definitely put empty unused spaces to good use, if implemented the right way.