By Hazwani Mat Saad and Mahanom Jalil
When we talk about climate change, deforestation or biodiversity loss in the tropics, the issues often feel vast and distant – bigger than us.
The statistics are sobering. The headlines are urgent. But for many of us, they can also be overwhelming. When faced with the scale of global environmental challenges, it is easy to feel that nothing we do can really make a difference.
But what if the answer is not to do everything – but to start small?
At the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science at Universiti Malaya, we began a simple project. No big grants. No international campaigns. Just one question: can fruit waste be used to improve plant growth?
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We focussed specifically on pineapple peels – a common by-product in Malaysia, where pineapples are abundant and widely consumed.
We dried the peels and ground them. We then used the resulting material – what we called pinapeel – as an amendment in cultivating everyday plants like onions, Brazilian spinach, passion fruit and chilli.
The results were encouraging. The plants showed better growth and the soil quality also improved. Pinapeel enriched the growing medium with organic matter, improved moisture retention, and reduced the need for synthetic additives. All from something we used to throw away.
We did not stop there. In a second small-scale experiment, we applied finely ground pinapeel in plant tissue culture.
This supported the early growth of plant tissues, showing that even in laboratory settings, natural waste materials could offer viable alternatives to more expensive inputs.
The benefits were clear: reduced costs, reduced waste and a gentler environmental footprint.
Was it a breakthrough in tropical agriculture? Not quite. But it was something real, something useful – and something doable.
As we mark the International Day of the Tropics on 29 June, it is worth remembering that the tropics is not just about rich biodiversity and vibrant cultures. It is also about small communities, everyday people and local ecosystems – all interconnected.
Sustainability in the tropics does not have to start with grand declarations. Sometimes, it starts with what we do in our homes, classrooms and gardens.
Most people do not see fruit waste as a problem. It is biodegradable, after all.
But even biodegradable waste has value – if we are willing to reimagine it.
The pineapple peel project reminded us that small, low-cost interventions can inspire new ways of thinking. It gave our students a sense of purpose. It showed them that sustainability is not only a topic to be studied – it is something to be lived.
So maybe the lesson this Tropics Day is not to despair at how much needs fixing. Maybe it is to ask what is within our reach.
Compost something. Plant something. Share an idea. Look at what we discard – and imagine what it could become.
The tropics is our home. It is beautiful, abundant and yes, vulnerable. But it is also full of potential, especially when we start small, stay curious and act with intention.
And sometimes, even pineapple peels can point the way forward.
Dr Hazwani Mat Saad and Dr Mahanom Jalil are from the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science at the University of Malaya.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
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- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
