Transforming urban bioresources through community gardening in Public Housing, Kuala Lumpur

¹ Department of Horticulture and Landscaping, Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan Sungai Batang, 90509 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
² Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: shahida@ums.edu.my

Abstract

Community gardening in public housing estates offers a community-driven strategy to transform underutilized tropical bioresources into socially, ecologically, and economically valuable systems. This study explored the lived experiences of long-term gardeners at PPR Intan Baiduri, Kuala Lumpur, examining how grassroots gardening supports resilience, health, and informal governance. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach supported by field observations, the findings revealed that gardening provides retirees and low-income residents with routine, emotional well-being, and opportunities for informal economic participation. Community gardens function as micro-level bioresource systems, repurposing reserve land, composting household waste, and leveraging institutional collaborations with agencies such as DBKL and TNB. Participants organize planting cycles, maintain shared infrastructure, and co-manage resources while navigating labor constraints and fluctuating participation. This study underscores the value of cross-sector partnerships in enhancing sustainability and reducing food waste. The conceptual framework positions community gardening as a socio-ecological innovation linking informal care practices with broader urban resilience and development goals. The paper offers concise policy recommendations to integrate community gardening into health, housing, and food security agendas, showcasing its potential to empower low-income communities and strengthen urban bioresource governance.