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Malaysians were placed into a state of uncertainty when the Malaysian Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the Movement Control Order (MCO) that would take place throughout the nation. Due to panic buying that was clearing off the shelves, centres and the marginalised were unable to get food and necessities to sustain themselves throughout the MCO period.
This government authorised order has also evidently disrupted the food production chain in the country. Tonnes of vegetables and fruits were disposed of due to the MCO delivery complications, as seen on the news. Because of that, the price of nutritious food like vegetables would soar in the coming months because it is harder to find.
In terms of health or economic-wise, this will put the marginalised at risk more than ever before. As they belong in the group that is more vulnerable to COVID19 due to their health complications, they are also without income, hence being the least able to compete with society to gain access to better nutrition.
PWD Smart Farmability's vision is to enable the disabled to become the source of nutritious food for the marginalised community and the needy.
As a neighbourhood-supported farmer with the recognition of the community in USJ2, we are so grateful to be allowed to give our fresh vegetables 2kg each to Rainbow Villa Care Center and Yi Xing USJ Old Folks' Home, two old folks' homes within the area.
We also managed to provide more than 6kg of fresh vegetables to drug rehabilitation centre Renewal Life Home, one of the many long-term beneficiaries of the Daily Bread Food Bank. The home is currently housing 30 recovering patients.
According to Angie Ng, the director of Daily Bread Food Bank, provisions of fresh vegetables are extremely rare. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that most food found in food banks or food aids around the world consists of mostly carbohydrate and processed food. The reason behind this is simply because fresh food such as vegetables and meat have a very short shelf-life.
We are only beginning to see a rise in donations for vegetables and fruits during this lockdown period. But what happens after the MCO is over? How will the disabled, old folks, orphans, or recovering addicts compete with society with the dwindling job opportunities and decreasing food supply?
The answer lies in revolutionising agriculture in our country. We believe that a new system of the food supply that leverages the power of community can ensure that nutritious, non-toxic food is available to everyone at all times. Our nation can also benefit as it helps us to minimise food miles and our reliance on transport, which cuts down on carbon emission as well.
During these unprecedented times, we are truly grateful to our supporters for adopting and cradling us with finances. If you are interested in joining our cause, reach out to us via our website at www.pwdsmartfarmability.com/contact/ today.