Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Food Security Strategies by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Food Security Strategies by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Question :

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are Singapore's longer-term food security strategies for 2050 and beyond; and (b) whether and how these take into account (i) global population trends which will shape future global food demand and (ii) the impact of climate change on global food production.

Answer:

1 The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the Singapore Food Agency take a long-term view to ensuring Singapore's food security. Recognising the long-term trends, including global population growth and climate change, we adopt a multi-pronged approach to food security that includes import source diversification and local production.

2 We support import source diversification efforts by actively accrediting overseas food sources. This number has grown from 172 countries and regions in 2019 to 180 in 2021. We also intend to grow more food locally to serve as a buffer in times of supply disruption. Under our 30 by 30 goal, we are building the capabilities and capacity to grow 30% of our nutritional needs by 2030.

3 In the longer term, we intend for our food production capabilities to be more resilient to the impact of climate change. For example, Sustenir Agriculture is an indoor farm that is able to control their growing environment to ensure optimal conditions for plant growth. This helps to mitigate issues faced by farms directly exposed to external uncertainties such as erratic weather and rainfall patterns.

4 SFA and A*STAR are also making a concerted push to advance innovation in the areas of novel foods like plant-based and cultured meat. Such technologies can make an important contribution to our food security strategy, as they provide another layer to buffer against supply disruptions.

5 We will continue to work with both the industry and consumers to ensure Singapore's food security.