From swamp to agro-hub
The land around the KOMPOS community centre in Permatang Janggus, Permatang Pauh, was swampy, overgrown and used for dumping. Between February 2025 and March 2026, MIM KOMPOS Smart Venture and the village turned it into a place to farm, learn and stay: a community agro-hub that brings together organic farming, education and small-scale eco-tourism.
What was built
- A community garden of organic raised beds (about 25 × 65 ft), with a second greenhouse and an aquaponics system that farms fish and vegetables together.
- A campsite (about 55 × 33 ft) for up to ten tents, with toilets, after the ground was filled and levelled.
- A revamped pondok and mini library (about 50 × 20 ft), now used every week for workshops and activities.
- Better access roads and drainage across the site.
Learning together
Villagers and volunteers prepared the site together on community days such as Green Hands Day. Five hands-on workshops then taught them to make effective microbes (EM) and compost, manage a community garden, and use JADAM, a low-cost organic farming method. Making their own inputs keeps farming costs down and the produce chemical-free.
The first harvests
The harvest in early March 2026 produced 80 kg of vegetables, shared with the community. The garden has been re-sown for the next harvest, and the aquaponics system is being expanded.
What comes next
- An official launch, with a documentary on the project’s journey and a camping programme.
- Growing an agro-enterprise from vegetables, fish and organic farming inputs.
- Registering as a society so the group can partner with government agencies, universities and companies.
Partners include the Surau Tuan Haji Mat Prai community, village residents and volunteers, local agro-community experts and the Permatang Pauh parliamentary coordinator’s office. Follow KOMPOS on Facebook.
