SHAH ALAM, April 4 — The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) has introduced the concept of urban agriculture on rooftops, or Laman Hijau@3, to change the scenery at Wisma MBSA’s rooftop.
The councils corporate and public relations division head Shahrin Ahmad said the project’s implementation is a result of the funds from the Low Carbon Cities Catalyst Grant by the Environment and Water Ministry (Kasa).
“Urban agriculture on rooftops at the podium of the third floor of Wisma MBSA is one of the initiatives by the council to highlight the green building concept and become an example to other buildings within MBSA’s jurisdiction.
“Laman Hijau@3 will not only change the scenery of empty rooftop areas into beneficial crop landscapes but will also increase access to fresh, quality and healthy produce,” he said in a statement.
Laman Hijau@3 was officiated by Shah Alam Mayor Datuk Zamani Ahmad Mansor, with Kasa Climate Change Division secretary Sugumari Shanmugam in attendance.
Shahrin said Laman Hijau@3’s landscape design uses the aquaponic concept, a division of agriculture that combines fish breeding and hydroponic crop growing.
He added the aquaponic concept also results in natural fertilizers for crops which in turn cleans the water quality of the fish in the water.
Among the crops being grown at Laman Hijau@3 includes herbs like ginger, turmeric, Chinese mesona (cincau hitam), butterfly pea, passionfruit, roselle and a variety of vegetables including Chinese broccoli, eggplant, okra and mustard greens.