Singapore Allocates S$138 Million to Food Research and Climate Supply Resilience

Singapore has allocated S$138 million to a five-year programme for food research, extending its work on farming technology and food safety to the resilience of supply chains exposed to climate shocks and other disruptions.

The Singapore Food Agency said on October 27 that the funding falls under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 plan. The Singapore Food R&D programme will support five areas: aquaculture, agriculture, future foods, food safety and a new food-supply-resilience domain.

The additional resilience work will use data and modelling to anticipate disruptions and explore technology to improve food storage. Other priorities include breeding fish suited to tropical conditions, improving fish feed and health, developing crop varieties for local growing conditions and assessing emerging food-safety hazards.

Singapore imports more than 90% of its food, making the availability of supplies from overseas a major concern. Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu said at an agri-food innovation event that climate change and global supply risks require a food system able to adapt rather than relying on local production alone.

The agency said its earlier research programmes had supported more than 100 projects since 2019, including work on crop breeding and aquaculture. The latest allocation builds on that work rather than representing immediate new domestic food output.

The agency also outlined research-industry partnerships intended to turn laboratory findings into technologies farms and food businesses can use. Details of grant calls under the new programme are expected in 2027.