KUALA LUMPUR, 22 November 2023 - airasia grocer, an online B2B grocery platform, and BANTU Heroes, a food aid distribution platform, have come together to form a collaborative initiative called ‘BANTU Farm’ in support of the Ministry of Agriculture’s aim to promote modern agriculture among the youth.
The BANTU Farm initiative was launched by Yang Berhormat Datuk Chan Foong Hin, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security at the REAL Schools, Cheras Campus here today. Also in attendance was Anthony Partington, CEO of XCL Education Group, Cheli Tamilselvam, Campus Principal, REAL School, Anas Amdan, Founder of BANTU Heroes and Lalitha Sivanaser, airasia grocer Chief Executive Officer.
The BANTU Farm project aims to raise awareness about the significance of urban agriculture among the youth as an effort towards ensuring food security. Aligned with the commitment to support government efforts, it aspires to foster a deeper understanding of sustainable agricultural practices among students by integrating agriculture into school curriculum.
YB Datuk Chan Foong Hin, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security stated, “I am pleased to see private sectors and non-governmental organisations such as airasia grocer and BANTU to continuously support the Ministry of Agriculture’s initiatives to accentuate modernised and green agricultural methods that will propel Malaysia to new heights in food security and economic growth in the long term. I believe that this partnership will play a crucial role in advancing our initiatives for a resilient and prosperous agricultural sector in Malaysia.”
Anthony Partington, CEO of XCL Education Group added, “We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for choosing REAL School as the kickstarter for this endeavour. This initiative demonstrates the potential of incorporating agriculture into the school curriculum, providing students with practical experiences in green farming technologies and cultivating agricultural awareness and interest among young minds from an early age.”
Anas Amdan, Founder of BANTU Heroes said, “BANTU Heroes is excited to join hands with airasia grocer to create ‘BANTU Farm’. Our shared vision for sustainable urban agriculture aligns perfectly with the Ministry of Agriculture's initiatives, and together we aspire to build a young community that ensures physical, social and economic access to ample and safe food supplies at all times.”
Lalitha Sivanaser, airasia grocer Chief Executive Officer said, “We are thrilled to embark on this pioneering venture in working closely with BANTU Heroes. Instilling agriculture awareness, especially at a young age is something we are passionate about. We are confident that through proper education and sustained support systems, we can rejuvenate interest in agriculture among the youth, ultimately making a positive impact on the lives of our young community.”
airasia grocer (formerly airasia farm) was launched in June 2020 as a business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform to enable farmers to connect directly to businesses by eliminating middlemen, providing logistical support and widening market reach. Businesses looking for food supplies can find out more at airasiagrocer.com.
More info on BANTU Farm:
- Bernama (EN): https://www.bernama.com/en/general/news.php?id=2247199
- Bernama (BM): https://www.bernama.com/bm/news.php?id=2247200
- Budiey: https://www.budiey.com/airasia-grocer-bantu-heroes-jalin-kerjasama-untuk-melancarkan-bantu-farm/
- Sinchew: https://readnow.isentia.com/Temp/183139-1027792563/MY0056565836_20241122.pdf
- Dagang: https://www.dagangnews.com/index.php/article/airasia-grocer-ngo-perkenal-insiatif-bantu-farm-pupuk-minat-belia-dalam-sektor-pertanian-32572
- Newswav: https://newswav.com/article/airasia-grocer-ngo-perkenal-insiatif-bantu-farm-pupuk-minat-belia-dalam-sek-A2311_vwyYhG