TO the untutored eye, the Phase 4 apartments in Precinct 8, Putrajaya, may look like any other apartments located in the federal administrative capital, with beautifully structured buildings and well-kept compounds.

Solehin Lukman Syah’s hard work has paid off as the banana trees he planted are bearing bears fruits.

But there is a difference.

Unlike the other apartment compounds that only have pretty flowering trees in them, the compound housing these apartments have brinjals, lady's fingers, long beans, sweet potatoes, chilies, lemon grass, pandan, tapioca, corn, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, mango, coconut, rambutan, pineapple and banana trees.

The residents there are active participants of the Green Earth Programme, where urbanites and rural folk are encouraged to plant vegetables and other food items to enhance household sustenance.

Since October last year, the residents have been utilising small plots of land surrounding their apartments to plant their vegetables and fruits. The plots are divided into four -- one plot for each apartment block.
The seedlings provided by the Agriculture Department for the programme have been supplemented by the residents with their seeds of choice.

"We're planting the mango and rambutan trees on the inclines as they would help protect the soil against corrosion during rainy seasons," said Roslan Abu Hanif, 56, who is chairman of the apartment's Block 4B residents' association.

As he beams with pride, Roslan motions towards the rows of toiled earth dotted with budding plants.

"This is where we plant our tomatoes, and we plant our chilies here. Over there we have our long beans, sweet potatoes, corn. As you can see, we are fully utilising our plots of land.

"The Green Earth project is very good. It provides us adults and children an avenue to socialise with our neighbours as well."

His neighbour, police officer Shahidan Kassim, 46, who is seen tending to the chilies and brinjal seedlings on the plot of land, said: "Each resident can choose the plant he wants, so long as the plot can accommodate it."

Radio broadcaster Solehin Lukman Syah, 41, has planted a variety of banana trees such as rastali, raja and emas in front of his apartment block. Some of the trees have since borne fruit which he shared with neighbours.

In the mornings and late evenings, the residents, who are mostly government servants, can be seen tending to their plots alongside their neighbours. Even their children come to help out after school.

As the programme progresses in the area, even the neighbourhood school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Putrajaya Precint 8(2), is preparing to go green.

The school will be the launch site of the national Green Book project, where teachers and students will be working together to plant vegetables and herbs in the school compound.

Headmistress Naemah Ismail, 46, said each class will have its own plot where pupils could plant their vegetable of choice. The project will be launched on July 12 by the Education Ministry.

"It would provide teachers and students the opportunity to learn about agriculture and science, perhaps business as well," she said.

"When the plants are ready to be harvested, we may develop a programme to teach the students how to start a business as they could sell the harvest to the teachers."

Residents of Precinct 9, where the Green Earth programme has also been launched, are planting their own edible garden.

Retired government servant Ahmad Azahari Ab Latif, 56, has been cultivating chilies, lady's fingers, lemon grass, bok choy (sawi) and ulam such as pegaga and cekur, as well as misai kucing, around his terrace house.

"We call it edible landscaping," he said. "Though the plot of land may not be very big, if you know how to plan properly, you could grow quite a number of vegetables and herbs.

"We have also planted some vegetables and herbs on a plot of land at the community house."

The residents receive their agricultural landscaping advice from the Agriculture Department.

"It's basically somewhere along the lines of 70 per cent vegetables and herbs, and 30 per cent flowers," said Ahmad Azahari.

"The precinct has been selected as the model site for the Green Earth Programme in Putrajaya, so other residents who are interested in cultivating their own edible garden can come and take a look at what we have.

"One of my neighbours planted grapes, so now we're all waiting to see if it's going to be green or purple. He says he doesn't know yet."