Understanding food security in Singapore: How the country is tackling key challenges

Food security is an important consideration for Singapore, a country which  imports more than 90% of its food and only has 1% of land set aside for agricultural use. This builds pressure on the current food supply situation and leaves the country dependent on global supply chains for food delivery.

Climate change, land scarcity, disease outbreaks, geo-political tensions, and supply chain challenges have increased the risk of food supply disruptions in Singapore.

In this article, we will learn more about food security issues in Singapore and what causes these issues. We shall also deep dive into the efforts the Singapore Government is taking to tackle this pressing issue.

Impact of climate change on food security

Climate change is disrupting global food production in multiple ways:

• Directly affecting crop yields due to changing temperatures and extreme weather.
• Indirectly impacting water availability, soil health, pests, crop diseases, and pollination.

Extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, heatwaves, floods, and unpredictable rainfall patterns have become more frequent, leading to declining agricultural productivity worldwide. For example:

• Rising temperatures and heat stress affect crop growth, reducing yields for key staples like wheat, corn, and rice.
• Droughts and water shortages limit irrigation, making food production unsustainable in some regions.
• Intense rainfall and floods damage crops, disrupt harvests, and cause food stock losses.
• Changes in atmospheric conditions, such as increased CO₂ levels and short-lived pollutants, can alter plant growth cycles and reduce nutritional quality.

The above climate-related disruptions impact global supply chains and food prices, creating uncertainty in food availability for import-reliant nations.

Food security challenges faced by Singapore

Singapore is vulnerable to global food supply disruptions as it imports over 90% of its food. Singapore has limited farmland - only 1% of its land area is dedicated to agriculture. This makes it challenging to scale local food production. While agri-tech solutions and urban farming have helped reduce reliance on imports, these innovations require high investment and skilled labor, making large-scale adoption challenging.

The factors that pose risks to food security in Singapore are:

• Geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and export bans can limit access to essential food products.
• Natural disasters in supplier countries disrupt food production and exports.
• Global inflation, rising fuel costs, and transportation bottlenecks drive up food prices.
• Currency fluctuations impact import costs, making staple foods more expensive.

Additionally, the spread of diseases affecting crops and livestock in supplier countries threatens food security. For example, outbreaks of African swine fever and avian influenza have reduced livestock populations, raising meat prices. Plant diseases such as wheat rust and rice blast have severely impacted staple crop harvests, affecting global trade.

Despite these challenges, Singapore is actively working to strengthen food security through diversification, local production initiatives, and technological advancements. By investing in resilient food systems, the country aims to maintain stable and affordable food supplies for its population.

How does Singapore safeguard its food supply?

To ensure Singapore’s food security and safeguard its food supply, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is pursuing three broad strategies called the three food baskets to fully tap into the country's potential and secure food sustenance for the future.

1. Diversifying food import sources

Singapore has long-term trading partnerships with over 170 countries around the world. By importing food from many different countries, Singapore reduces the risk of over-reliance on a single food supply source. This helps the country to procure food stocks from other sources if the supply from the existing source countries is disrupted.

For example, importers in Singapore diversified from their traditional egg supplier sources and expanded their supplier network to include new sources from Europe.

As a part of efforts to broaden food supplies, the SFA continues to engage with new foreign authorities to partner with new farms and establishments. The goal is to expand this supplier's list to ensure food availability.

2. Growing locally

Singapore is complementing its imports with local food production to build a safe buffer during supply chain disruptions. This reduces the country's reliance on imports and increases self-sufficiency by a fair percentage.

The SFA is currently working towards its “30 by 30” plan. This plan aims to produce 30% of the country's nutritional needs locally and sustainably by 2030. SFA is partnering with agencies like the Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG) to attract innovative agri-tech companies and nurture the country's existing agri-tech sector.

3. Growing overseas

The SFA is also encouraging local food production companies to set up their operations overseas and export their produce back to Singapore. This strategy helps local companies to overcome land and manpower-related challenges and export the produce back to Singapore.

For example, Singapore's local hydroponics farm, Sustenir Agriculture, has launched its operations in Hong Kong as its first international foray. The company focuses primarily on vertical farming to produce high-quality leafy green vegetables and herbs. This expansion helped Singapore scale its agri-tech innovations and facilitate locally grown produce, thus reducing reliance on imports.

By integrating these three food baskets,Singapore has a balanced approach toward food security.

Understanding Singapore’s “30 by 30” plan

Singapore's "30 by 30" plan is one of the targets of its Singapore Green Plan 2030 which aims to meet 30% of the country's nutritional requirements through locally produced food by 2030. Growing more of its food directly in Singapore will allow it to be more self-sufficient and less dependent on other countries. It will be a backup plan for its food supply and help the country mitigate the impact of supply chain disruptions. By growing food locally, Singapore will be able to reduce its carbon footprint and make the city greener and healthier for everyone.

To achieve this food security Singapore is largely investing in intelligent strategies to grow more of its food locally. Further, SFA has expanded its Agri-food Cluster Transformation Fund to include more types of food and technology for supporting local companies.

• Vertical farming - Vertical farming is growing crops in tall towers to maximize land use. This helps local companies build multi-layer farms in a compact facility to produce more fresh vegetables using less space all year round.
• Hydroponic farming - Hydroponic farming is growing plants without soil by using a nutrient-rich solution. This solution delivers essential minerals to the growing plant.
• Indoor fish farming - Indoor fish farming brings outdoor fishing into sustainable closed-loop systems with high-tech solutions for nutrients. It creates a perfectly balanced environment for fish to grow and thrive without any difficulties. For example, Singapore Aquaculture Technologies has built a smart floating fish farm that leverages AI to monitor the health and growth of its fish.

Besides technological innovation, the "30 by 30" Singapore goal focuses on maximizing resource efficiency for better food sustainability. For instance, most vertical farms use nutrient film technology and an advanced irrigation system to circulate and recirculate water-based nutrients to the farm. This setup is reported to consume 95% less water than other types of water-based farming. The farm also leverages LED lights, a mechanical ventilation system, and specialized air-conditioning to reduce electricity consumption.

 The "30 by 30" initiative represents a bold step towards achieving food security in Singapore.

How can the world best address food security?

As the global population grows and climate change continues to impact food production, we need to work together on solutions to address food security.

• Reduce food wastage by investing in better storage solutions and distribution systems. This will improve global food availability and minimize the carbon footprint of waste disposal.
• Promote alternative food sources to reduce the reliance on traditional agricultural practices. For example, switching to sustainable options like plant-based proteins, lab-grown meat, and so on.
• Support local food production by encouraging urban farming, community gardens, and smallholder farms. This will reduce reliance on imports and strengthen local food systems.
• Build sustainable supply chains to adapt to climate challenges.
• Integrate tools like Zuno Carbon to monitor emissions and track ESG goals.

Ensuring food security in Singapore is not an easy job. However, through innovative strategies and initiatives, the country is designing a resilient food system for its people. As climate change, resource scarcity, and market volatility continue to impact food security, building a sustainable food ecosystem is the need of the hour.

Addressing the environmental footprint is one way to tackle global challenges and ensure food security. Zuno Carbon offers innovative solutions to help companies -

• Monitor their carbon emissions.
• Track ESG metrics.
• Align with net-zero goals.

Schedule a demo today to learn how you can  contribute toward a greener, more resilient future.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How is Singapore strengthening its food security?

Singapore has diversified its import sources. It is investing in innovative farming techniques to support its “30 by 30” plan to produce 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030.

2. What is the relationship between food security and climate change?

‍Climate change directly impacts food security. Extreme weather events like floods and droughts disrupt food production. This reduces crop yields leading to supply chain disruptions and higher food prices. Thus, making it harder to ensure a stable and affordable food supply.