Composting Food Waste

Did you know that food doesn’t decompose into the land when you throw it away? Food that ends up in landfills is often on top of other waste such as plastics and does not reach the ground; releasing carbon emissions as it is left to rot in the open. Composting is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, practice easy zero waste at home, and turn unwanted kitchen scraps into garden gold. 

All you need is your kitchen scraps (green matter), and brown matter such as soil, dead leaves, newspaper, cardboard and more. 

Start off with a layer of brown matter in a bag or basket, then add in your kitchen scraps and cover with another layer of brown layer on top. If you have bokashi powder, you can speed up the process by sprinkling some over your compost. Keep layering & turn it once a week for quicker results. In 4-6 months your compost will be ready and you can add this organic fertilizer to your garden!

View the full tutorial here.

Growing your Own Food

95% of Malaysians do not eat the daily recommended amount of vegetables. Alarming as it is, we can attribute some reasons to easy access to unhealthy food, or simply a lack of understanding and appreciation for vegetables. How we at Sunway XFarms want to change this, is to teach people how to grow their own food– did you know that a single leafy green takes about 6 weeks to fully grow?

If you do not have a garden or balcony, do not think growing your own food is a distant dream! Introducing our Eco-friendly Mini Farm Kit. We’ve made it beginner and space-friendly to grow your very own food at home. Unlike traditional garden farming, this one is a lot more straightforward as you grow with just water! Okay, you do have to supply your crops with an appropriate amount of nutrients, but believe us when we say it is way easier and cleaner than soil growing! We’ve made sure to include a step-by-step guide as well– both in video format and pictures! 

View the full tutorial here.

Microgreens Growing Kit

If you’d rather not wait 2 months, or are not feeling confident, try your hand at microgreens! Not only are they incredibly easy to grow, they are just as easy to eat, even for the pickiest of vegetable eaters. How much fresher can your food get when you’re harvesting it from your table to garnish onto your meal?

These sprout vegetables will grow in as little as a week and are actually 20x more nutritious than their mature counterparts; not to mention they are super luscious and a treat to simply admire. Just spread some seeds evenly onto damp peatmoss & let the magic happen! 

View the full tutorial here.

Agrifood Apprentice Programme

Got green fingers & spare hours with the desire to learn? Why not try our Agrifood Apprentice Programme? Sustainable farming is more important than we realize, not only to improve local food security but also to reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint as a whole.

Our programme is a minimum commitment of 4 hours a week, and each day of the week consists of different tasks. You will be guided by field professionals, gain hands-on experiences and build potentially life-long bonds with other apprentices! 

Learn more here.

Trust us when we say we love the holidays and enjoying a well-deserved break, but not only are these green skills easy to learn, they are also passive, meaning you only need to actively work on them for about 5 minutes or less at a time, and let Mother Nature do the rest of the work (excluding the apprentice programme, of course)!

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What do a pharmacy and farm have in common? Caring for & nourishing our body’s health! We have collaborated with Sunway Multicare Pharmacy to bring you a curated set of healthy, yummy teas!

As Malaysians, most of us would opt for a delicious-looking dish over a balanced or healthy choice on days when we want to treat ourselves, but that doesn’t mean we have to skip our mineral and vitamin intake. While you enjoy a yummy meal, pair it with a nice drink that’s also good for your health! Vegetable Juices may not sound appealing to everyone, but how about a nice tea? We’re proud to introduce GreenBliss– an easy-to-drink tea series that not only tastes great, but is a wonderful power boost for your immunity and digestion.

Choose from green tea, rooibos tea, or goji berry & lemongrass tea, all infused with our pesticide-free kale. No bitter taste, promise! 

Together with third-party experts, we have explored various recipes to deliver maximum health benefits with an all-natural, limited-ingredient recipe, all while making sure our teas taste great!

Why choose our teas and does it matter? 

The digestive system plays an important role in the body, more than we realize. It affects our immunity, skin, mood, sleep, and heart health. Hence, maintaining a healthy digestive tract is crucial to support overall wellbeing and daily activity. Some ways to improve our digestive health include eating fruits and vegetables, limiting our added sugar intake, and staying hydrated; all of which GreenBliss helps with. 

Get to know the GreenBliss Kale Teas!

• Diett-tea: A special blend of Kale, Green Tea, Bamboo Leaf extract and Stevia, this tranquil tea has an earthy & grassy taste. It helps to improve digestion and stimulate effective toxins removal from the body.
• Ingredients: Green Tea Extract (56.1%), Kale Extract (20%), Inulin, Stevia & Bamboo Leave Extract (2%)
• Alkali-tea: A unique combination of Kale, Rooibos Tea, Inulin, Bamboo leaves, fructose and stevia. This cooling & calming tea boosts digestion for effective toxin removal and nutrient absorption, as well as promotes a good acid-alkali balance.
• Ingredients: Rooibos Tea (37.7%), Kale Extract (24%), Inulin, Bamboo Leave Extract (2%), Fructose & Stevia Powder
• Imuni-tea: An exotic infusion of Kale, Lemongrass, Goji Berry, Galangal, Inulin, Bamboo leaves, stevia and fructose. This sweet yet savoury tea is blended with immunity-boosting herbs that are anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and antiseptic. 
• Ingredients: Goji Berry Extract (31.3%), Kale Extract (10%), Lemongrass Extract (10%), Inulin, Galangal Extract, Fructose, Bamboo Leave Extract & Stevia Powder

Have a closer look at our Ingredients & their Health Benefits:

• Kale: Rich in vitamin A, C, K, high in fibre, a good source of prebiotics, antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory, promotes nutrient absorption, improves gut microbiome. Read more about it here. 
• Inulin: Prebiotic for a healthy gut microbiome, strengthens intestinal barrier, boosts immune system, improves digestive health
• Bamboo leaves: Antioxidant-rich, anti-microbial, anti-tumour, anti-aging, anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, immune-stimulating, detoxes and improves digestion, prevents constipation
• Green Tea: Antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory, helps with weight loss, promotes relaxation and keeps stress at bay
• Rooibos Tea: Caffeine-free, low in tannins, antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, liver & kidney function
• Lemongrass: Effective in treating fever, liver disease, stress & influenza, treats hypertension, kidney disease & flu, diabetes prevention
• Goji Berry: High in vitamin B, magnesium, copper and selenium, protects vision
• Galangal: Antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, anti-fungal, manages breath, body odour, aches and pains 

Little drink, big benefits! Our teas can be enjoyed both hot or iced, and we encourage drinkers to get creative in making the drinks theirs! Add a splash of milk to our Kale Green Tea to enjoy a matcha latte taste, or slice up some fruit pieces and add them to the rooibos or goji berry kale teas! At 20 sachets per box, these teas are cheaper than most drinks you dabao at the store, are easy to pack and make wherever, and are good for you.

The GreenBliss tea range is available at all 117 Sunway Multicare Pharmacy retail stores, as well as online with us.

Try it today!

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1. High in Antioxidants

Kale is high in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C,  selenium and flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol. These compounds are believed to help to slow cancer cell growth and protect us against chronic disease.

2. Anti-inflammatory

One cup of kale contains 10% of the recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains glucosinolates that help to maintain the body’s normal inflammatory response. 

3. Good for bones

Did you know? Kale contains more Calcium than milk! It is a fantastic non-dairy source of milk to aid with maintaining bone and teeth health, alongside heart and muscle functions.

One cup of raw kale contains almost 70% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin K, which also helps reduce the risk of bone fractures. 

4. Aids in Weight Loss

On top of being delicious, kale is low in calories while being a good filler food. It is a great source of nutrients such as vitamin A, K, copper, manganese, calcium, and riboflavin, and contains small amounts of folate, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium and iron. 

High in fiber and water which help to prevent constipation, kale is great for digestion. The tough stems are a rich source of prebiotics, and can be softened with some light cooking.

5. Can support eye health

A single cup of kale contains over 200% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A, which is great for both our skin and vision. Just 100g of kale can provide us with over 100% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, which helps to lower the risk of cataracts. Just be mindful of how you cook the kale as this vitamin is heat sensitive. Lutein and zeaxanthin which are found in kale are an antioxidant combination that can help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. 

6. Supports our Heart health

Kale is an excellent source of potassium, fiber, folate, and calcium. To break it down, potassium can reduce the risk of high blood pressure as well as cardiovascular disease, and a cup of cooked kale contains 3.6% of the daily recommended amount of potassium. Fiber helps to lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

7. Good for liver health

Kale is high in fiber and sulphur, which supports the body’s natural detoxification process and keeps our liver healthy.

In conclusion, kale brings a bunch of health benefits to the table that is our health, and adding them to your diet can help nourish your body in many ways. Ready to start adding more kale to your diet? Before you check out some fun recipes to make with kale, you’ll want to get the best kale on the market. However, often sprayed with pesticides, kale is part of the dirty dozen. Here at Sunway XFarms, we are proud to grow fresh & 100% pesticide-free kale in our farms, direct from us to you. Order a kale happy bag today & taste the curly, crunchy joy that is our kale.

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Holly Jolly Heirloom Tomatoes

These herb and garlic roasted tomatoes will burst with flavour in your mouth. And they are oh-so-easy to make. Toss your fresh mini heirloom tomatoes with minced garlic, herbs of your choice, and olive oil. Pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes and you’ll be serving a delicious side that goes well with almost anything on the table.

Jingle Bell Peppers

Crunchy & juicy, make your own jingle bell peppers by stuffing half-cut peppers with a filling of your choice — we like minced meat and rice or potatoes. Don’t forget to top them off with melted mozzarella cheese. These will be sure to be a party hit.

Under the Microgreens

Mistletoes aren’t for everyone, but microgreens sure are! Sprinkle a handful onto your dishes and feel the love between you and your favourite food! Not only do microgreens enhance the look and flavour of any dish, it’s packed with macronutrients! A treat for both your tastebuds and your health.

Salad-Claus is Coming to Town

Balance your decadent meat platters with a side of colourful leafy salad. Don’t forget to decorate this Christmas tree-like dish with ornaments of red and yellow! Capsicums, cherry tomatoes or apples will bring out colour and flavour in your salad. Sprinkle some feta cheese to act as the fairie lights on the tree!

How do you like this list of Christmas recipe ideas? We’ve got a list of recipes included in our Christmas Feast Complementary Bundle! Get the freshest and greatest-tasting vegetables for your meals this season.

The post 4 Christmas Recipe Ideas You’ll Love appeared first on Sunway XFarms.

Christmas is a serious gifting season for some; and as the years go by, ideas run dry. Some sits will make gift idea lists that only include frivolous things that are currently in trend– items that will remain unused once the fad is over. So let us steer away from that line of gifting this year, and spread holiday cheer while trying to be mindful of our impact on the environment. We’ve curated a list of sustainable gift ideas this Christmas that will be sure to bring joy to its recipient.

Eco-friendly Mini Farm Kit

Ever wanted to grow your own edible garden but worried about not having green fingers? You can take the first step with this beginner-proof, eco-friendly mini farm kit. Growing with just water, you can plant these bok choy seeds indoors mess-free.

Pick a jar or upcycle a used bottle, everything you need to grow your own food in 6 weeks is included in this nifty box, from seeds to plant food, and of course, step-by-step instructions. It certainly is an uncommon gift for those looking for something special! 

DIY Microgreens Growing Kit 

For those a little more excited to see day-to-day growth, this microgreens growing kit will be ready to harvest in just 7 days. It’s perfect for younger children to learn how to grow and satisfy their curious mind with quicker results. This DIY kit includes 2 types of seeds, organic peatmoss, a gardening tool, a grow tray, and step-by-step instructions. As a bonus, all components in this kit are fully reusable, compostable, or recyclable. 

On top of looking luscious and tasting great, microgreens also pack a bunch of health benefits. It’s a great gift all around, engaging for both the mind and the body. 

Home Composting Kit

Can you guess how much food waste ends up rotting in the landfill each year instead of decomposing in the ground where it should? If everyone took less than a minute to direct their kitchen scraps and raw food waste into a home compost instead of the bin, globally we could cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 6%; all while getting free, natural, organic fertilizers for our gardens and plants.

That’s where this home composting kit comes in. It includes a compost bag, a set of gardening tools, and bokashi powder to help speed up the process. This sustainable gift idea is suitable for those with gardens or a balcony, and for people who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. 

Composting is a passive activity, as mother nature does most of the work to break down the organic matter inside naturally. That makes this gift suitable for those who with busier schedules. 

Glass containers

Never underestimate the versatility of glass containers! They are better for both the environment and our health, preventing toxic chemicals from seeping into our food when heating up in the microwave. They are also better at storing your leftover food in freezers and fridges, without worry of any chemical release from the glass. At the end of its life, the glass can be recycled indefinitely. Most people opt for plastic containers in their pantry to save money, so you would be surprised at what a thoughtful gift a good glass container can be for someone! 

Ready to get some thoughtful gifts this year? Know someone who would love these sustainable gift ideas? Check out our gift options below for a conscious Christmas! For a limited time this festive season, we have a Little Farmer’s Holiday 3-in-1 Gardening Set, for those who want to give a big green gift to a special person. 

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What is sustainable agriculture?

The problem globally: 

• Agriculture uses 50% of global habitable land
• 70% of freshwater is used for irrigation
• Over 25% of greenhouse gases emitted are from agriculture

Agriculture is a necessity for us, but takes an alarming amount of resources to meet those needs. Globally, agriculture uses 50% of habitable land, 70% of freshwater, and is responsible for more than 25% of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, it pollutes water, soil, and air. Agriculture is the 2nd most polluting industry and contributes to another 3 of the top 5 most polluting industries (Electricity, Transport, Food Packaging).

We clear and burn land for agriculture, we engage in deforestation to find fertile land. And after the soil has degraded from intense farming we abandon it to burn new forests. Earth has lost a third of arable land in the past 40 years. Nearly 33% of the world’s food-producing land has been lost in a pace way faster than diminished soil can be replenished. These emissions don’t just stop at agriculture. The transportation of the food, the packaging & the storing of them at the supermarket all add up. 

Transport is 2nd on the list, accounting for around one-fifth of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, with commercial freights consisting of 40% of that. Limiting international travel includes our purchases, going local when possible. We need better local products– in terms of vegetables, not only will it be fresher & have less food miles, but if we can achieve a quality equal to or better than their imported counterparts, that becomes the more sensible option for both the people and the planet

Food retail is the 5th. Since plastic is made from oil, food packaging is generating a huge amount of emissions. It takes decades to centuries for plastics to break down while we continuously create more every day. Refrigeration is the most energy-intensive part of a supermarket, accounting for 50-60% of the electricity consumption – most of which will be produced by fossil fuels. Not to mention, leaking refrigerants such as the ones used in grocery stores are responsible for “70 Million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions each year”— enough to power 12 million homes.

Transporting food to supermarkets also generates a lot of emissions, depending on where it’s shipped from – also known as food miles.

How do we address these issues? We forgo single-use plastics. We shorten the journey direct from farm to you. We grow within 20km of you.

The problem locally:

• We lack in self-sufficiency & food security despite rapid urbanization
• 85% population will live in urban areas by 2030
• 26% land is used for agriculture
• 55% of vegetables are imported
• >35% vacant units in Klang Valley

Population growth will continue to grow yearly, projecting to hit 9.8 billion by 2050. As human population continues to grow, so will the food required for our dietary needs. Traditional farming methods will not be able to keep up with this amount if it continues to deplete large amounts of resources while producing food which are not efficiently grown and consumed. 

It becomes a fight for land– land to live in versus land to grow food in. 

How smart farming addresses these problems 

Smart farming uses technologies like IoT, robotics, drones, and AI to enhance and optimize food production. We take it a step further by building smart farms in smart places. 

How do we address the overlapping necessity for land to provide for our needs– both for habitation and dietary?

Urban smart farming plays an important role in addressing both food security and agricultural sustainability. How? By building in existing but unused city spaces and growing vertically!  

Malaysia is full of ghost buildings– properties developed and quickly sold off without proper advertisement, only to never be rented out successfully. Locally, more than 35% of Malaysian buildings are vacant while more new projects continue to be developed. By turning underutilized city spaces such as empty buildings and rooftops, we contribute to a more sustainable city, traceable food supply, accessible food, and lower carbon footprints.

We have a fixed surface area on the planet, and even more so city spaces that are suitable for growing food. However, we can make full use of any given space by growing food vertically, just as how libraries and apartments are able to accommodate large amounts of books and tenants in a limited space.

Because urban farms are built from the ground up, circular watering systems are built into these farms. These systems allow just the right amount of nutrients & water to flow through the roots of all crops, instead of large amounts of water pouring into the soil without promise of reaching the plants. Circular watering systems can reduce water usage by up to 90%! 

By building farms within the cities, not only do we reduce the food journey but we reduce crop wastage from transport damage, cold trucks, and even supermarket refrigerants when the journey is direct from farm to you. 

Of course, urban farms have their limits, and more development is needed, but it’s a good place to start with growing crops such as leafy greens, herbs, and fruity varieties.

What we are doing

To date Sunway XFarms has grown over 58,000kg of fresh vegetables across 5 different farms, prevented over 3,000,000 food miles, used 0 pesticides which prevents runoffs into water causing eutrophication and acidification, minimized plastic packaging; all while providing the local community with fresh, quality vegetables grown within 20km of their neighbourhood.

Our four target goals are to 1. transform underutilized city spaces into urban farms, 2. provide transparent & traceable supply, 3. bring communities access to fresh, quality food, and 4. to grow even more food with even less resources.

Read our full sustainability report here.

The post Is Smart Farming the Answer to Sustainable Agriculture? appeared first on Sunway XFarms.

The scale of agriculture is so large that when we try to explain the problem, it’s not quite easy for consumers to picture it. 70% of our freshwater goes to agriculture, 1/2 of our land goes to agriculture, deforestation and soil degradation happen in agriculture, and all this does not happen in small amounts. We aren’t just depleting the Earth’s resources rapidly, we also have issues of overproduction, underpaid farmers, crop wastage, food wastage and so much more. We’re part of the top 5 most polluting industries in the world, and it doesn’t just stop there; agriculture practices also contribute to carbon emissions from the transport industry and plastic pollution in the food retail industry, both of which are a part of the top 5. 

How exactly do we address all these issues? At present in Sunway XFarms, we grow vertically, we grow in cities, and we grow more with less. Malaysia is filled with underutilized, empty buildings, which is where our farms have been built in. Technology has come a long way, and we’re able to reduce water consumption by up to 90% with a circular system that recycles water. Read on to have a look at how we make a difference in our daily operations.

Sustainably Grown

As many of you already are familiar with, our vegetables are sustainably grown.

How? We grow vertically– using less land to grow more yield; we use a circular watering system– saving up to 90% of water in comparison to traditional farming; we use absolutely zero pesticides– no soil pollution, no water pollution, no triple washing required; and we grow close to you– less food miles, no planes, no cold trucks, just fresh and delicious vegetables! As a bonus, we grow in underutilized city spaces, transforming what would be abandoned into lush urban edible farms.

Shelf life

Our vegetables do not see more than 6 hours from harvest before they are in the hands of their consumers — no lengthy trips in trucks & planes, just directly from our farm to your home. How does this play into being planet-friendly? 

In this journey, vegetables can lose up to 50% of their nutrients, and with each stop, produce can get spoiled and discarded. The vegetables you see on grocery shelves can take between 3-6 stops before even going to your home, meaning a fraction has already been disposed of with each journey taken. Moreover, when these vegetables reach the shelves, they already have a short shelf life, and will further be discarded if a consumer doesn’t buy and eat them before they go bad. 

When we buy locally, not only do we get fresher and more nutrient-intact vegetables with less food miles and longer shelf lives, but they’re grown for flavour and not for shipping durability, so our produce ends up being tastier while being more environmentally friendly.

P./S. Did you know? Vegetables taste different depending on the time they are harvested. When a vegetable is harvested when fully mature, the taste is often fuller and sweeter. Give our happy bags a try and see for yourself! 

Vegetable shortage

When you go to the grocery store, sometimes there is a shortage of vegetables and you might have to come back another day; sometimes the stock is old, and truth be told you really don’t know when those vegetables were harvested, how long they’ve been sitting on the shelves, and how long more you can store them for. Especially with monsoon season & flash floods, prices can be unpredictable, they can rise up to 3 times more than usual in price.

That doesn’t happen with us. Our promise to you is a guaranteed minimum amount a week depending on your package size. Our prices don’t rise because we aren’t suscept to weather and pest threats, and can grow consistently all year round. The day you receive your vegetables is the day they were harvested, and it doesn’t get much fresher than that– unless you grow your own food at home! We take the quality of our produce very seriously, its not just about the business, we want to provide local access to good food with good quality at good prices. 

Plastic consumption

Plastic packaging is used to keep vegetables safe during their journey, their moisture intact, and to prevent any external elements such as dirty surfaces or water to harm the produce. 

The food industry uses 148,000 tonnes of plastic a year, and this is just in Malaysia! As plastic is made from oil, you can already picture the amount of emissions generated. It also takes decades to centuries for plastics to break down while we continuously create more every day. 

Is there a way our everyday consumer can make an impact? Of course! Shopping at zero-waste stores (aka packaging-free stores), bringing your own bags to shop for produce (be it the grocery store or a farm), and opting to buy from places that are close to you!

At Sunway XFarms we have the privilege of sending our produce to you in paper bags due to the direct journey from farm to you– whether you pick it up by yourself or have it delivered straight to your doorstep. Even so, we always encourage our subscribers, especially those who opt for self-pickups, to use our large veggie care boxes. It can hold your entire week’s worth of veggies and you can simply pop it in the fridge when you get home. 

*Please note to remove your vegetables from the paper bags and store them in proper containers before putting them in the fridge. 

Of course, there is no single solution to address the many issues, and each alternative has its own pros and cons. Every day the team at Sunway XFarms is researching on how to further reduce our energy consumption, aiming higher in our impact on the planet without reducing the quality of our produce. By working together we can all address our dietary needs in a sustainable way, for the earth, the people & the future. 

The post What makes our Produce Planet-friendly? appeared first on Sunway XFarms.

Each week we would send out 100 bags of fresh vegetables, working with both NGOs such as MyKasih and directly with communities. Our vegetable bags would be harvested and packed the day of delivery, and included enough to feed a family of 5 for a week. We even had the honour to distribute our planet-friendly produce to events held by YB Yeo Bee Yin and YB Hannah Yeoh respectively.

It didn’t just end with one-off donations. We got to rally Sunway Property & Sunway Theme Parks to join us in sponsoring fresh produce for the long term– over the course of the month. They also kindly included their signature items such as chocolates and instant pastes. Some corporates even donated enough for 3 months!

A special partner we worked with was HTBB church, who used our leafy greens to make nutritious sandwiches for communities in need. We got to attend one of the sandwich making sessions and see the kind volunteers come together to lovingly make over 600 sandwiches. 

When we commended their dedication, the church’s Head of Food Bank Michael Ho only said, “It seems like a lot of food, but to the children its just one meal.” 

The church provides basic, nutritious food packages to over 150 families in 11 Neighbourhood Groups, 6 Charities and refugee schools. On top of that, they make 329 healthy sandwiches to distribute to 6 refugee schools weekly. They collaborate with the Lost Food Project to rescue breads from Breadstory, BreadTalk , Komugi, Amazing Bakes and Rainbow Bread based on a scheduled collection routine to make the sandwiches. 

All in all, we are really happy that this campaign was a great success and once again thank each and every one for your kindness! We will continue to distribute the bags over the upcoming weeks, and each donor will get an impact report mailed to them.

Want to join us and feed the needy with nutritious, planet-friendly vegetables? Click here.

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The general belief is often that organic vegetables are superior to conventionally grown produce. Most will tell you that the only difference between them is the presence or absence of chemical fertilizers. But does that mean organically grown vegetables are really better? 

While there are drawbacks to intensive, traditional farming methods, we have to look at each farming method’s strengths & weaknesses in a holistic manner. Agriculture is important in that it addresses our daily dietary needs; however, there are many pressing issues in this essential industry.

Agriculture is part of the top 5 most polluting industries, while further having a hand in 3 others in that same ranking (transportation, energy, food retail). In order for this industry to improve its practices and become more sustainable, let us have a look at the origins of commonly known farming methods & why they are still practiced today.

Why conventional farming exists

There is a lot of talk about the downsides of traditional farming– our current agricultural practices use up to 70% of global freshwater, 50% of habitable land, and is responsible for over 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Although downsides weigh heavily, the reason why conventional farming exists is that it is the backbone that feeds the global population. 

Without the use of fertilizers & pesticides, addressing global food security would be extremely difficult due to the discrepancy in harvest yield. A recent example of this would be the Sri Lanka organic farming crisis, where President Gotabaya Rajapaksa banned the use of synthetic fertilizers & pesticides overnight. This resulted in major consequences, including a 20% drop in rice production, forcing the once self-sustaining country to spend over 50 million more on rice imports than the funds saved from the fertilizer ban. Although factors of the crisis include timing, the implementation deadline, and lack of support for the switch, the drop in harvest can be mainly attributed to a lack of growth support from the banned items (ie. synthetic fertilizers).

Conventional farming is what feeds more than half the world. Not only does its ability to grow more food on less land is what helps developing countries stay self-sufficient, it further helps these countries earn export income. Sri Lanka was one of the countries that got out of poverty during its agricultural Green Revolution in the 1960s, when synthetic fertilizers were subsidized and harvest yields doubled.

Why organic farming exists

Of course, intensive farming comes with a myriad of drawbacks, including but not limited to the pollution of soil, water, and health issues such as pesticide poisoning. Everyone is aware of the industry’s pollution, and turns to look for an alternative option– a more natural one.

That gave rise to organic farming. To reduce intense biodiversity loss & offer returns to the soil of land used. The requirements of organic produce include no genetic modifications (no GMOs), no chemical or synthetic fertilizers & pesticides, no antibiotics & the rotation of crops.

Often organic crops are smaller in size while being slightly more expensive, and some shoppers feel more secure buying vegetables with some bug bites as “proof” of the lack of pesticides. 

Which is better: Conventional or organic farming?

Of course, there is no black & white answer. There is a reason why both are still practiced. If there was no organic farming, pesticide poisoning would be imminent, the destruction of biodiversity in lands would be grave, and soil nutrients would be severely depleted.

If there was no conventional farming, the fight for land between feeding people and housing them would have clashed way earlier and more than it has now, and global food production would drop by 40%. causing food crises / world hunger to be more severe.

Data has shown that organic farming systems have actually consistently performed worse in terms of use of land, soil acidification & fertilizer eutrophication (a major source of nutrient input into aquatic ecosystems). Agriculture uses 50% of global habitable land, and organic farming requires more land to grow the same amount of crops than that of conventional farming, due to its smaller harvest. 

Furthermore, while organic farming is considered to have less pesticides than conventionally grown produce, often the natural fertilizers used in organic agriculture tend to cause more wasted nutrients that end up flowing into waterways due to its nature of being slow-release. 

The timing of nutrient release does not always match up with the demands of the crops, not to mention the release is further affected by weather, soil moisture & temperament.  When the excess nutrients are finally released but no longer taken up by crops, this is when they run off farmland into waterways. Consequently, waterway pollution from acidification and eutrophication is often higher in organic farming rather than traditional farming. 

Moreover, organic fertilizers such as raw manure can pose health hazards if accidentally consumed. There is a risk of them holding bacteria such as E.coli, listeria and salmonella. For the application of raw manure, it is required for application to be done at least 90-120 days before harvest, depending on the crop type. 

Does that mean organic farming is worse than conventional farming? As previously stated, both farming methods have their own pros and cons, and need to be balanced with each other as no one farming method is going to solve the hunger of the world. Conventional farming also has to take responsibility to avoid applying excess fertilizers, as studies have shown that doing so can increase crop yield while reducing fertilizer expenses & waterway pollution from excess application. 

How else can changes be made?

Of course, we are not just limited to two types of farming practices. Many others have popped up in recent years as a way of providing alternatives, and with the use of each, perhaps a balance can be found.

Forest farming

Forest farming or Multi-story cropping is a practice combining small-scale farming with conventional forestry. This type of farming method is usually reserved for high-value crops and trees that are naturally grown in the wild such as berries or chestnuts, which acts as a canopy for the layered shrubs and crops growing beneath them. Although it is not cultivated with feeding the world in mind, forest farming plays an important role in forest conservation.

Permaculture

Permaculture is a type of practice that puts nature first & grows solely what nature allows it to. It was developed in the 1970s, and branches off into agroforestry, hill farming, companion planting, market gardening, and other subcategories. This requires an assessment of how to work with nature in any given piece of land before starting, heavy & diverse crop rotation, and slow change systems. 

Pesticide-free farming

This can be done via controlled environments such as greenhouse and indoor growing. Not only do controlled environments allow the cultivation of uncommon crops that are often imported, but by avoiding pesticides altogether, the acidification and eutrophication of water and land is taken out of the equation. Some pesticide-free farming methods such as hydroponic growing avoid the use of soil altogether for crops such as leafy greens. This also prevents soil erosion & can save up to 90% of water through a circular, water-growing based system. 

At Sunway XFarms we grow in underutilized city buildings, turning once-abandoned spaces– found in over 35% of urban cities, into green growing ones. 

Does pesticide-free farming = organic?

Although the general public believes pesticide-free and organic to be interchangeable, the answer is no. The reverse holds true where organic vegetables do not mean or guarantee that the produce is pesticide-free.

Organic farming uses natural pesticides, which are commonly known to be less “persistent” than synthetic alternatives & break down in the environment faster. However, it does not mean that all organic pesticides are safer or less toxic than their synthetic counterparts. 

As organic pesticides will break down in the environment faster, it may be required to be applied more often to get the desired effect. This can result in a larger quantity of pesticides being added than a lesser amount of more persistent pesticide.

Studies have also shown that under certain circumstances, organic pesticides can also have a greater negative impact to the environment, including harming biological control organisms.

Pesticide-free farming on the other hand is as the name describes– growing without the use of any pesticides. Of course, this has to be done in controlled environments that are safe from pests. But its ability to grow in just about any space, including underutilized city spaces such as rooftops or vacant buildings, is a trait that mustn’t be overlooked, as it addresses a way to feed the growing human population with less space.

Ways you as a consumer can make a change

Spreading awareness

Power lies in the people, and change cannot be made without knowing and understanding our food systems thoroughly. It is important for us to understand that each farming practices have its strengths & weaknesses; only then can we further develop appropriate changes and improvements to each system, or even come up with new systems; ultimately, moving towards a sustainable agricultural future. 

Buy just enough

Food waste makes up 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In Malaysia alone, up to 17,000 tonnes of food waste is produced daily, of which 4,005 tonnes (4,005,000kg, to put it in perspective) are still edible. Greenhouse gas emissions from food waste are one of the simplest to reduce, and the easiest way to do so is to buy just enough! Not only do you make a positive change to the planet, you can save money too.

Compost your raw waste or feed some stray animals

Raw kitchen waste when we prepare our daily meals can be easily composted at home, whether you want to bury them in soil or use a compost kit. For cooked foods, Malaysia is home to many stray animals. If you’d like to go the extra mile to bring some relief to them, most would be happy to enjoy a mixed meal of your homecooked leftovers (just avoid feeding foods that are poisonous to them). 

Try a vegetable Subscription

Although it doesn’t sound very intuitive, a vegetable subscription can help reduce food wastage at its very core. This is because vegetables take up to 7 weeks to grow, whereas demand can fluctuate any other day. By opting to subscribe to weekly vegetables & notifying in advance when you’d like to stop, planting plans can be adjusted to reduce excess crops. Farms produce a lot of excess crops, of which sometimes up to 55% are left in the field to rot. Fun fact! When you buy direct from farm, you also reduce edible but ugly produce that get rejected and discarded from transportation damage & grocery store standards.

Get started with making a change today, subscribe to sustainably grown, pesticide-free vegetables with us.

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The lunar festivities are coming back for the new year, and between cleaning, cooking, yard work, and more, there are boundless things that we have to do to prepare for the upcoming festivities! If you’re looking for some inspiration or easy-to-prep dishes while you’re working amongst other things to welcome your guests, we’ve curated the perfect list for you!

Herbal chicken

This is great for open houses that welcome guests of all cultures. You’ll enjoy the taste all the flavours marrying together without being too heaty!

Fried dumplings

Did you know that dumplings are traditionally eaten because their shape is similar to ancient gold ingots– signifying wealth for the new year. Whether you prefer them fried or in a nice soup, eat as many as you can to usher in good fortune & luck!

Tomato salad

Yit Hei? Balance the decadent foods with some refreshing salad. This is also great for those practicing a vegetarian new year. Add your favourite ingredients– and be sure to fill it with all the auspicious colours of red, yellow and green!

Lettuce Wraps

Why lettuce? In Cantonese the word sounds like “rising fortune”, so eat your greens to get good health and wealth! Bite into some soft or crunchy wraps of your choice (we recommend Coral, Batavia, Butterhead, or Romaine) and fill them with a burst of flavours, succulent prawns, juicy tomatoes and the subtle sweet taste of microgreens. 

Mandarin & Capsicum stir fry

Enjoy a festive, crunchy, tangy yet sweet dish made of mandarins and stir-fried capsicums. Capsicums hold all the auspicious colours that bring luck during the new year, so be sure to have lots to boost your luck and health!

Of course, don’t forget to drink plenty of water!

Looking to gift someone a CNY hamper without all the plastics & disposables? Choose our Happy CNY 兔 U gift set instead!

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Have a happy lunar new year everyone! 

The post 5 Easy Recipes to Prepare for Chinese New Year appeared first on Sunway XFarms.