KUALA LUMPUR: British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd (BAT Malaysia) has unveiled its flagship community farm garden called "Beyond Benih" in Tanjong Karang, Selangor to support vulnerable communities in growing their food using organic agriculture techniques.
BAT Malaysia finance director Anthony Yong said through the project, the company aimed to empower vulnerable communities for shared prosperity and positive impact.
Yong said throughout the project, BAT Malaysia's role had been to support communities with resources and funding, knowledge transfer and technical support via partnerships with the resident's association and the Selangor Department of Agriculture.
"BAT Malaysia intends to transform the lives of over 165,000 beneficiaries by 2026. We will continue to invest in this programme over the next few years as part of our commitment to give back to the communities we operate in," he said in a statement.
BAT Malaysia said it had worked closely with multiple partners throughout various phases, including the Department of Agriculture and local authorities.
The company also engaged with established resident associations to develop the garden infrastructure and planted selected vegetables that will be sold at subsidised prices to the communities.
Yong said BAT Malaysia remained committed to driving a positive change across four key areas.
"This comprises harm reduction, environment, social impact and governance and look forward to continuing to deliver a positive impact in these spaces," he added.
To-date, two pilot gardens have been launched, in Tanjung Karang and Shah Alam, and both are aligned with Malaysia's Urban Community Garden Policy.