“Welcome to Kebun Lestari Setapak Permai,” a young man wearing a gardening hat and holding a hoe greeted Bernama, before revealing that the site used to be an abandoned plot where residents had dumped their rubbish for about 20 years.

Yap Jing Zong then worked with members of the local community to clear the space and turn it into a garden that supplies produce to the neighbourhood.

Using his hoe, the 25-year-old dug a small hole to reveal wood chips and moist soil, with fruit peels visible amidst the earth. He said 70% of the fertilisers used in the garden comprise food waste collected from around the city.

“This entire area we’re standing on consists of buried food waste, and the soil itself is compost,” he explained. “Look here – there are worms, there are black soldier flies. These are not pests. They are microbes that preserve nutrients and feed on the bacteria that produce foul smells.”

He said the secret to healthy crops lies not only in fertiliser, water and environmental conditions but also in the soil structure. “If we take good care of the soil, the soil will take care of our plants, helping them grow strong and healthy.”

Yap’s eyes were opened to the potential of food waste in gardening five years ago during the movement control order (MCO). His own mini home garden, where he cultivated vegetables, fruits and herbs, thrived on compost he made entirely from the food scraps generated by his household.

Through trial-and-error and DIY efforts, Yap managed to produce compost within three months. His family enjoyed their homegrown produce and shared it with neighbours, easing their burden during the MCO.

“After that, I began to think bigger. I wanted to start a bigger garden that could benefit the community while turning food waste into compost instead of ending up in landfills,” he recalled.

According to the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation, Malaysia generates approximately 40,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, of which 44.5%, or about 18,000 tonnes, consisted of food waste as of September. Much of it ends up in landfills, releasing methane gas and further harming the environment.

‘To succeed, I had to sacrifice’

Yap, then a university student, began by looking for a suitable site to create a garden powered primarily by food-waste compost. He started his first urban garden in mid-2022 on a plot in Setapak before moving to the present site in early 2023.

Starting his days as early as 3.30am on a modified tricycle, he would head out to collect food waste from homes, restaurants and even hospitals in Setapak and Wangsa Maju.

“Some restaurant owners generously gave me their food waste for free, but there were also those who took the opportunity to charge me,” he noted.

Yap would arrive at the garden by 7am to produce compost before heading to his 9am classes. Sometimes, he would fall asleep during lectures out of exhaustion. Still, he managed to complete his four-year mechatronic engineering course.

“While my friends went on holiday during semester breaks or relaxed after classes, I chose to spend my time with food scraps, compost, and my plants. I also took on part-time jobs to fund my garden project.

“I knew I wanted to build a career in agriculture, starting with composting food waste. To succeed, I had to make sacrifices.”

At first, his family did not support his endeavours. “My family was worried that people would avoid me because I smelled bad after collecting garbage and food scraps. But over time, when they saw the results of my hard work, they began to accept and support what I was striving for,” Yap said proudly.

Yap’s determination paid off when he founded the social project Trash to TrashURE, as well as 4Leaf Nursery, a plant and landscaping business.

According to Yap, making compost is not simply about dumping waste into a bin: it is a carefully balanced ecosystem involving microorganisms and insects.

“Composting is a natural decomposition process using organic materials such as food scraps and garden waste to produce nutrient-rich soil. This process is driven by microorganisms and natural ‘workers’ in the soil such as earthworms, snails and fungi,” he said.

Kitchen waste like fruit peels, coffee grounds and eggshells breaks down with the help of worms and insects, while cooked food scraps such as rice, fish and meat require the help of bacteria and fungi.

Yap said many people dislike the smell and wet texture of food waste, but he has found an effective way to eliminate unpleasant odours.

“The secret is using dried leaves and wood chips. For every layer of food waste, separate it with a layer of dried leaves, wood or paper. This helps balance the decomposition process, eliminates odour and ensures good aeration in the compost,” he explained.

Yap further encourages people not to clear patches of shrubs, grass or fallen leaves from their gardens as these act as natural ground cover: they help retain soil moisture, protect microbes from the heat, and prevent erosion during heavy rain. Fallen leaves will eventually break down into organic matter that enriches the soil.

Changing for the future

Yap’s present mission for the garden is simple: “Let nature play its part.”

With the support of the Setapak Permai Residents’ Association and volunteers from a nearby People’s Housing Project (PPR), Kebun Lestari Setapak Permai now receives 200kg of food waste every day from households and restaurants, as well as the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Yap sells produce from the garden to the local community, while volunteers who assist him receive fruits and vegetables for free. He also sells his organic compost to residents and corporations.

Ultimately, he hopes to raise awareness on the issue of food waste and the potential in composting, to encourage others to start their own urban gardens to strengthen food security.

“Don’t be afraid to make a change. At first, people may think what we’re doing is disgusting, but once we prove that something unpleasant can turn into something valuable, their perception will change,” he stressed.

“In my life, there is no such thing as ‘disgusting’. The waste I see before me is ‘gold’ and a source of livelihood.”