JOHOR BAHRU – In a groundbreaking effort toward sustainable agriculture, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Skudai has undertaken a transformative project focused on organic roselle cultivation, driven by an innovative composting method utilizing kitchen waste. This initiative not only enriches the school’s curriculum but also nurtures the spirit of entrepreneurship in its students. The project was spearheaded by Dr. Siti Pauliena Mohd Bohari, Dr. Huszalina Hussin, and Dr. Nurliyana Ahmad Zawawi from the Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The project received funding from the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) Iskandar Puteri Low Carbon 3.0, with an allocation fund of RM20,000.00, led by teacher Lua Geok Chiau. The project successfully cultivated 600 roselle trees and produced various roselle products such as ice creams, dried roselle tea bags, and beverages, with 84 kilograms of harvested fruits sold to the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA). Furthermore, students actively participated in distributing roselle seedlings to neighboring communities in areas like Sri Skudai, Sri Putri, Taman Universiti in Johor Bahru, and Kulai.

During the school open day, SMK Skudai produced 100 educational videos and 50 posters about low-carbon lifestyles and composting techniques. Additionally, the school organized study tours to FAMA and held Roselle Cultivation Training of Trainers (ToT) for students, teachers, and the community. This initiative effectively increased community interest in agriculture and agro-entrepreneurship and bridged gaps between the school and local agencies. The roselle project also had a significant impact by reducing 9,678.88 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions and securing 4th place in the Reducing Carbon Footprint 2024 competition organized by MBIP. The project started in June 2023 and concluded successfully with a closing ceremony in January 2024.

By: Dr. Nurliyana Ahmad Zawawi & Dr. Siti Pauliena Mohd Bohari

Source: UTM NewsHub