Urban Agriculture as a Community Resilience Strategy against Urban Food Insecurity

Urban agriculture is an initiative in overcoming the impact of food insecurity. This study identifies the elements of food security and explores the strategy for community resilience from urban agriculture perspectives among the vulnerable urban group. This study employs a systematic literature review by three phases of identification, screening, and eligibility. A total of 15 articles are compiled and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four main themes emerged consist of food security, food production, food flow, and resilience strategy. The four themes produced a total of 14 sub-themes in detailing the element of food security and development strategy of urban agriculture programs for community resilience.Keywords: urban agriculture; community resilience; food security; resilience strategyeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.204

Urban Food Insecurity: The relationship between community resilience and urban agriculture

This article presents the relationship between community resilience and urban agriculture as a strategy for food and nutrition security forthe vulnerable urban group. Through a systematic literature review and using thematic analysis, the study reveals four related domains identified as food security, food production, food flow, and resilience strategy. The community resiliency was presented through the contribution of urban agriculture as part of community preparedness, response, and recovery in short and long-term impacts. The study concludes that green spaces provision in a residential area act as a viable support system underlined the economic, social, and environment interaction. Keywords: urban agriculture; vulnerable urban group; community resilience; food insecurity eISSN 2398-4279 ©2020 The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ajqol.v5i18.20

The impacts of tourism development on community well-being in Langkawi: the case of Kampung Padang Puteh, Mukim Kedawang

Tourism has assisted the development of environmental, economic, social and cultural aspects of island communities. While there are some previous studies on the impacts of tourism development across Langkawi, it is necessary to consider the impacts of tourism development on individual island communities. Kampung Padang Puteh, Mukim Kedawang, Langkawi is located on the route between the island's main tourism attraction areas, Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah (which are highly affected by tourism activities). This purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of tourism development with regard to benefits and challenges based on the local community perspective. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used in this study through a questionnaire to 49 household representatives, and individual interviews that were conducted with 16 selected key informants in Kampung Padang Puteh. Analysis of mean, Spearman's rho correlation and qualitative approaches were used to interpret the data. The main findings concern community well-being and the benefits and challenges of tourism development impacts for the local community. It was found that the local community have improved their socioeconomic level through employment opportunities, additional income and language skills. While social ties were still good, negative aspects pose challenges

Challenges for source separation of food waste and turning waste into compost for island-based hotels

The practice of turning food waste into compost among hoteliers in Malaysian islands is still far behind compared to the government’s target of 8% by 2020. This paper aims to identify challenges associated with implementing sources of separation of food waste, turning waste into compost, and proposing relevant actions using island-based hotels on Langkawi Island as a case study. This study adopted the mixed-method approach. The researcher distributed sets of questionnaire surveys to 42 hoteliers, followed by observation and interviews with 23 hoteliers. This study identified the lack of space, existing facilities, expertise, funding, adequate knowledge and support from the hotel management affected the activities separation and composting of food waste at their hotel. The study also suggested five key actions for achieving sustainable food waste management for the hotel sector in Langkawi via separate and compost food waste strategies. Those actions are (1) monitor by establishing a unique team of the hotel staff; (2) cooperation with the contractor of taking waste hotel; (3) systematic waste collection with fixed schedule; (4) waste audit and waste mapping; and (5) adequate infrastructure. This study provides information and guidelines to help hoteliers reduce food waste, save hotel operation costs, and maintain the hotel’s focus on environmentally friendly practices

Development – led marginalisation: a historical analysis of the Jahai in RPS Air Banun from the early 1900s to the 1980s

The Jahai from RPS Air Banun are amongst the indigenous ethnics found in Peninsular Malaysia who still grapple below the stated level of poverty. Various efforts have been initiated with intentions of extracting them from their traditional ways of life in order to live on par amongst the multicultural – multiracial Malaysian population. Even so, fast paced development and urbanization has caused them to be left far behind when compared with their non-indigenous Malaysian counterparts. Despite extensive planning and implementation, development programmes have shown little success in changing their socio-economic status for the better and they have only been further marginalized and threatened by these initiatives. The deterioration in socio-economic status of the Jahai from RPS Air Banun is found to be closely related to the history of this nation’s development especially after achieving independence. Rapid urbanization and economic growth during the post-communist period had vastly changed the country’s physical landscape, thus changing the lives of the indigenous minority whose livelihood was still greatly dependant on natural resources. By employing the historical perspective, this paper examines the socio-economic status of the Jahai in RPS Air Banun who still live below the poverty level even after three decades of involvement in the Orang Asli Resettlement Programme

Students’ behaviour in recycling used batteries for pollution prevention: a case study in Malaysia

The best way to manage used batteries without causing adverse effects to the environment is through recycling. The objective of this study to identify relations and factors which encourage the recycling of used batteries by understanding the behaviour and awareness among the students using Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). School students in Bangi, Malaysia were selected as case study. A total of 349 respondents from 4 schools located in Bangi (namely SMK Bandar Baru Bangi, SMK Jalan Tiga, SMK Jalan Empat and SMK Dato’ Abu Bakar Baginda) had been chosen using cluster sampling method. The study shows that there are a few significant positive relations, which include infrastructure and behavioural control (r = 0.359); responsibility and behavioural control (r = 0.395); attitude and intention (r = 0.182); willingness to pay and behaviour (r = 0.332). By using regression analysis, the social norm factor is the main factor which encourages recycling of used batteries among respondents based on the TPB theory, and followed by the factors of willingness to pay, attitude and behavioural control

Chemical safety in school laboratories located in urban and rural areas: a case study in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

School laboratory is one of the important facilities in enhancing teaching and learning particularly for science related subjects. Once students learned about science theories in the classroom, they can apply what they have learned by setting up relevant experiment in the school laboratories. However, potential risks occur in the laboratories, especially when dealing with chemicals. As this is unavoidable, hence, safety measures such as good ventilation system, personal protective equipment, emergency response plans are in place to safeguard the users and the environment. Nonetheless, existing safety measures in schools might vary among each other. A project was embarked to investigate if there have differences between secondary schools located in urban and rural areas, particularly on existing safety measures in laboratories, practices and awareness of students. This paper presents the preliminary findings of three aspects in chemical safety: level of knowledge, level of practices and level of perspective among the students in urban and rural areas in Pahang. The findings indicated that there were no differences between the levels of students’ knowledge, practices and perspective of chemical safety in school laboratories. Majority of the students had average level of knowledge and practices of chemical safety. The study also revealed that they not so sure about the safety aspects in school laboratory. The findings from this study provide basic information for teaching and learning to enhance the knowledge and practice of chemical safety in school laboratories by taking considerations from students’ perspective

Impacts of 1.5°C Global Warming on Natural and Human Systems

An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate povert

Special Report on Global warming of 1.5°C (SR15) - Chapter 5:Sustainable Development, Poverty Eradication and Reducing Inequalities

The Special Report on 1.5°C assesses three main themes: • What would be required to limit warming to 1.5°C (mitigation pathways) • The impacts of 1.5°C of warming, compared to 2ºC and higher • Strengthening the global response to climate change; mitigation and adaptation options The connections between climate change and sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty are discussed throughout the report. This chapter takes sustainable development as the starting point and focus for analysis. It considers the broad and multifaceted bi-directional interplay between sustainable development, including its focus on eradicating poverty and reducing inequality in their multidimensional aspects, and climate actions in a 1.5°C warmer world. These fundamental connections are embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The chapter also examines synergies and trade-offs of adaptation and mitigation options with sustainable development and the SDGs and offers insights into possible pathways, especially climate-resilient development pathways towards a 1.5°C warmer world