- Apr 25, 2024
- Nova Nelson
Cultivating Change EP#3 Chee Hoyyee
In this episode, we speak to Chee Hoyyee who runs Project MARS (Mitigation, Adaptation, Resilience, Space), a 1.8-acre plot of agricultural land in Balik Pulau in Penang, Malaysia.
#3: Urban Farming to Rural Land Regeneration
We begin the episode at Hoyyee’s urban farm and cafe as she recounts the story of how she and her husband found themselves as the stewards of this larger plot of agricultural land. Formerly used for palm oil cultivation, she shared that the aim was to regenerate it while educating the community on eco-friendly farming practices.
The rest of the conversation takes place as Hoyyee walks Nova through the land explaining her approach to agroecology and stewardship. She speaks about the influences of syntropic agroforestry methods and Thai agricultural practices such as Khok Nong Na which prioritises self-sufficiency. Hoyyee also discusses the various challenges they faced including navigating earthworks and building canals, getting funding, managing volunteers and building structures of recycled wood and mud bricks on site.
This conversation offers an insight into environmental land stewardship and what it takes to meaningfully engage a community as part of the process.
Show notes
[00:04:00] Hoyyee shares how she went from the jungles of Thailand to back to her home state of Penang, Malaysia.
[00:05:15] How Hoyyee and her husband found themselves steward of a plot of 1.8-acre land, which was formerly used as a palm oil plantation
[00:06:45] In the car - A background and agriculture history about the Balik Pulau area
[00:12:00] At Project MARS - sharing about the earthworks, materials, and planting required to stabilise the land
[00:14:45] How Hoyyee and her husband fund the project
[00:16:00] How they create the mud bricks used for structures like the seed bank on their land from various types of soil
[00:19:45] Why good relationships, committed volunteers and community are key to the success of managing land
[00:20:45] Description of the adobe/mud brick structure they have built and adapting plans to incorporate local materials, and recycling wood to build a small elevated storage and living space on site
[00:25:55] A discussion about syntropic agroforestry techniques they use on the land
[00:29:50] A discussion about how they apply the Thai Khok Nong Na model to build canals throughout the land
[00:33:15] How Hoyyee is zoning the land into three distinct areas to be able to not only grow food in abundance but also to provide community with a wellness and learning space.
Additional Resources
1. Connect with Hoy Yee here.2. To learn about the Thai agriculture model of Khok Nong Na, read this short summary of the concept.
3. For more about syntropic agroforestry methods read this in-depth article.
Special thanks to Chee Hoyyee, Founder of Pop and Chee Healthy Home Farming and Project MARS.
Senior producer and host: Nova Nelson.
Executive Producer, presenter and researcher: Tamanna Patel.
Music credits go to LongTong Studios Longtong Studio
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About Cultivating Change
Cultivating Change is a podcast about people and communities shaping regenerative local food and agricultural systems in different parts of Southeast Asia. Hear from farmers and urban growers, food producers, researchers, environmentalists and various individuals that are imagining, designing and creating healthier more sustainable food futures from the ground up.
Our mission? To explore questions and find answers about the vital aspects of our food system, why it matters to your well-being, and the seismic impact it has on the environment in Southeast Asia. It's not just a podcast; it's a recipe for change.
Nova Nelson
I’m a Social Entrepreneur, Permaculture Designer, a gardening coach, content creator and educator. I started Cultivate Central as a solo enterprise. It started as a blog about my journey in Permaculture Design. It then evolved and grew into a small social enterprise. Today, I focus on creating regenerative food gardens, developing and delivering educational experiences, championing vermicomposting and building collaborative community programmes with organisations, corporates, developers and schools, with a small but talented team. I’m passionate about helping them embark on a journey of earth care centred on building regenerative food systems and cultures.
How did I find myself doing what I do? Read my story here.
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