SFA awards S$23 million in funding for R&D in sustainable urban food production
Workers from Barramundi Asia harvesting fish from the farm's sea enclosures.
SINGAPORE — The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Monday (April 26) it has awarded more than S$23 million to fund 12 research and development projects in sustainable urban food production.
The grant is in support of Singapore's "30 by 30" goal for food security, in which the country aims to produce 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030.
“With challenges that impact global food security such as climate change, rising population and decreasing land for agricultural use, R&D holds the key to the future of food," said SFA's chief executive officer Lim Kok Thai.
The awarded projects span the key research areas of genetics, disease and health management, optimisation of systems and nutrition, said SFA in a media release.
Eight of the projects are in aquaculture. They include projects to develop genetic resources and optimise feeds for red snapper, vaccine development for Asian seabass and selective breeding of barramundi.
The remaining projects focus on urban agriculture, including improvements in indoor farming and hydroponics.
SFA said these projects are aligned with the grant objectives to increase productivity of local food producers, taking into consideration factors such as cost effectiveness, resource use efficiency, sustainability and climate resilience.
"I have every confidence that the outcomes of their research will bring us closer towards a more resilient, sustainable and vibrant agri-tech sector in Singapore," said Mr Lim. CNA
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