Clementi state land now a community farm

Grassroots effort key in helping residents keep their once-illegal plots

By Grace Chua, The Straits Times, 4 Mar 2013

A PATCH of land in Clementi that was once used illegally by residents is now a community farm in which radishes, chillies, sweet potatoes and corn grow.

The farm, behind Block 305 Clementi Avenue 4 in the Bukit Timah division of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, was officially opened by Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and grassroots adviser Sim Ann yesterday.

Fruit and vegetables once thrived on the state land between Clementi Avenue 4 and Sungei Ulu Pandan, where labourers and retirees also gathered to chit-chat near a small shrine they had built. Other farmers had installed ponds and an outhouse.

But last March, other residents complained of burning leaves and mosquito breeding, which prompted the Singapore Land Authority to ask the farmers to go.

The Bukit Timah grassroots network stepped in to work with residents, farmers and government agencies.

They came up with a plan for the Bukit Timah citizens' consultative committee (CCC) to rent the land from the state on a yearly basis for community farming.

Today, users pay $5 a month to use the site's 30 plots, each 8m by 4m and allocated by ballot to existing and new farmers.

While some structures like the shrine and outhouse had to go, footpaths, lights, water points and a tool shed were added and work was done in late January.

The bill of about $60,000 was funded partly by the North West Community Development Council and partly by private donors.

Mr Michael Chia, vice-chairman of the CCC, said wet weather pushed back the completion date from late last year, and construction had to skirt an active gas pipe running underground.

The CCC also advises farm users on how to prevent mosquito breeding, and not to burn leaves.

Ms Sim, who is Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education as well as Communications and Information, said: "I would say it's a win-win outcome, and it was possible with a lot of legwork and persuasion on the part of the grassroots (organisations) and a lot of support from agencies."

Mr Lester Yeong, 35, whose family tended a plot at the old farm and has the use of a plot now, welcomes the cleaner environment. "With water available, we don't need to wait for rain," he said.

IT professional Toh Boon Chew, 42, who is a newcomer to the community farm, said: "I've gained some knowledge from the existing farmers."