Singapore (VNA) - Singapore will invest 138 million SGD (approximately 107 million USD) over the next five years in food technology research and development to strengthen its resilience to climate change and disruptions to global supply chains.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit on October 27 that climate change and environmental challenges are putting pressure on food production, requiring the agricultural sector to become more sustainable and resilient.
Grace Fu cited transboundary haze affecting Singapore as an example of regional environmental problems that needed to be addressed. Activities such as draining peatlands and burning vegetation might bring short-term benefits, but in the long run they degraded land, destroyed ecosystems and threatened food security, she said.
Singapore currently imports more than 90% of its food. According to Grace Fu, increasing domestic production alone would not be enough to protect the island nation from global disruptions. Singapore needed to diversify its sources of supply, build resilient supply systems and strengthen its ability to respond to unexpected events.
The new investment forms part of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 (RIE2030) plan and will be implemented by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
In addition to its four existing research areas of aquaculture, agriculture, future foods and food safety, Singapore will focus on using data and analytical models to forecast climate risks and supply disruptions, developing technologies to extend shelf life, and optimising food stockpile management.
In aquaculture, research will focus on developing fish varieties suited to tropical climates, improving feed, preventing diseases and increasing productivity. Agricultural research will prioritise crop varieties adapted to hot and humid conditions and precision farming technologies to boost output while reducing energy consumption.
In future foods, Singapore will step up biotechnology and food processing research to improve production efficiency, lower costs and enhance nutritional value. Food safety research will focus on early detection of emerging risks and improvements in risk assessment methods.
On the sidelines of the summit, the SFA signed a cooperation agreement with agri-food group JAPFA to develop tropical aquaculture technologies./.
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