A passport is often considered the ticket to global mobility. For Singaporeans, however, it has become a symbol of success and status especially after the Henley Passport Index recently crowned their passport the best in the world.
According to the global index, which evaluates how passports rank on the global mobility spectrum, Singaporeans can jet off to 195 destinations without the hassle of pre-approval. However, despite having this golden ticket, the city-state faces a more down-to-earth challenge, which is feeding its people homegrown food. The island city-state has a lot of things going for it, but farmland isn’t one of them. With a high population density, Singapore is caught in a paradox, as it has a booming economy and powerful passport, but a troubling food security issue.
To get a better grip on this issue, let’s take a walk through Singapore’s vibrant streets, where high-tech skyscrapers and lush greenery tell a story of innovation meeting necessity. The city-state’s land area is only about 720 square kilometers, with a population of over 5.7 million.
The country has transformed into a global hub for finance and technology over the years. However, its small size means it can’t rely on traditional agriculture to meet the food needs. Only one percent of the land area is being used for agriculture, which limits the Singapore’s ability to achieve food self-sufficiency. Moreover, the demand for fresh agricultural produce is there and growing, but local farmers are struggling to make a living, as they have to compete with imported goods.
Excessive buying
The country’s staggering 90 percent reliance on imported food items has left it vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. However, the local government and private sector are teaming up to tackle this food security challenge head-on. Vertical farms, hydroponics and even lab-grown meat are becoming household terms. The skyscrapers aren’t just office buildings but also vertical farms growing herbs and vegetables. One of the examples of vertical farming is ‘Sky Greens’, a facility that uses a unique rotating system to ensure that every plant gets just the right amount of light and nutrients. It indeed is a game-changer for urban farming, and is only one part of Singapore’s broader strategy to become more self-sufficient.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has set an ambitious goal of producing 30 percent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. However, traditional farmers are finding it difficult to catch up or compete to reach this “30 by 30” goal. Despite lowering the prices of their produce, some of them have failed to attract customers because of cheaper supplies from other regional countries.
Most farmers are struggling with high costs and loss-making models. On the other hand, those intending to start or upgrade their farms continue to face hurdles in getting the required licenses. Despite all this, the Singaporean government is positive about achieving its ‘30 by 30’ goal. Playing its part, the food authority has rolled out initiatives like the Agri-food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund, Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) for Capability Upgrading and Technology Upscaling (TU) in order to financially assist farmers so that they could improve their productivity and competitiveness.
The SFA said the authorities are also working on the redevelopment of Agri-Food Innovation Park (AFIP) in Sungei Kadut to boost the country’s ability to grow its own food. Covering an area of 18 hectares, the park’s standout feature is its focus on vertical farming and hydroponics.
Although high-tech solutions are offering hope and progress, the journey to reduce reliance on imported food is far from over. The collaboration among the government, private sector and farmers shows Singapore’s determination to overcome its food security issues.