Exploring Digitalized Food Waste Management and Urban Farming Sustainability through the Sustainability Tracker 360 in Malaysian Vocational Colleges

This exploratory study investigates how digital innovation, through the Sustainability Tracker 360, enhances sustainable practices in food waste management and urban farming within Malaysian vocational colleges.The Sustainability Tracker 360 is a digital dashboard developed to monitor composting efficiency, fertilizer production, and plant growth in real time.Using a mixed methods design, five vocational colleges implemented composting systems that converted 43.35 kilograms of food waste into 12.95 kilograms of organic fertilizer, with an average conversion rate of 29.9 percent.The fertilizer supported 150 potted plants cultivated across campuses in collaboration with Junior Chamber International (JCI) Bayan and OCBC Bank.Data visualization from the dashboard revealed active project continuity for at least three months after completion.The findings confirm that digital monitoring strengthens accountability, fosters long term engagement, and deepens sustainability awareness among students, lecturers, and community partners.The study contributes to the growing discourse on circular economy practices, green TVET transformation, and digital governance in education for sustainable development.