The government has set a target to meet 30% of the country's nutritional needs with local agricultural production by 2030, with 20% coming from vegetables and fruits and 10% from protein sources like fish, meat, and eggs.
Entrepreneurs like Lin Bingxin are contributing to this goal by establishing advanced indoor farms. Lin, founder of Urban Farming Partners Singapore, has introduced Dutch technology to grow leafy greens such as kale and lettuce inside urban buildings. The farm integrates air handling, cultivation systems, and Singapore's engineering expertise to enable large-scale crop production in limited spaces. Lin also plans to export this farming model and provide training and technical support to interested businesses.
Singapore's broader strategy for food security includes diversifying import sources, building overseas agricultural bases, and supporting local producers. The government is investing in urban, high-tech agriculture, with funding for precision farming, vertical farms, hydroponics, and aeroponics.
As part of this effort, the Lim Chu Kang area has been designated an Agri-Food Innovation Park, where automated, AI-managed farms are being developed. Taiwanese company Yuantong Green Energy Technology is building a 2-hectare plant factory there, expected to produce 2,000 tons of organic vegetables annually by 2025.
In addition to boosting local production, Singapore is also strengthening food reserves. Since the 1990s, rice importers have been required to store reserves, and from 2024, for every ton of rice imported, three tons of reserve grain must be stored — increasing to 3.5 tons by 2026.
The government is also reshaping food distribution, with companies like the Osun Group developing digital platforms that integrate financing, trade, logistics, and insurance, positioning Singapore as a regional food innovation and distribution hub.
Source: CNA