Community Gardening and Resilience: Insights from Public Housing in Kuala Lumpur

Will be presented at Thursday, 23 May 2025, 12.05 (GMT +7)

Abstract

Urban public housing communities often face social isolation, limited green spaces, and restricted community interaction. Community gardening has emerged as a grassroots strategy to foster social resilience, well-being, and active ageing. This study explores the lived experiences of participants in a community garden within Kuala Lumpur’s Intan Baiduri public housing estate, focusing on its impact on social cohesion, well-being, and institutional support. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews with three long-term participants were thematically analysed. Findings reveal that community gardening enhances physical and emotional well-being, strengthens social networks, and provides retirees with a sense of purpose. However, work commitments and time constraints hinder sustained participation. The study highlights the need for flexible engagement models, institutional support, and policy improvements in land-use frameworks and funding mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability. Contributing to urban sustainability discourse, this study emphasises the intersection of grassroots initiatives and institutional frameworks in fostering social resilience. It offers insights into the challenges and motivations of community gardeners in public housing, an underexplored area in Southeast Asia. Recommendations include flexible participation models, financial incentives, and policy adjustments to support grassroots gardening initiatives.