Some local farms have faced delays or failures, in a blow to Singapore's goal to produce 30 per cent of nutritional needs locally by 2030. SINGAPORE: When the “30 by 30” goal was announced in April 2019, no one could have anticipated how Singapore’s food security would be on everyone’s minds barely a year later - when the pandemic gave us the unfamiliar sight of empty supermarket shelves.
Given these shake-ups, is the 30 by 30 goal looking increasingly unrealistic? Will mid-point corrections be needed and expectations lowered as 2030 looms? Admittedly, the vagueness allowed room for creativity and innovation. Some positive outcomes have been increased activity among agri-food start-up companies and technology developers, more research and development on agri-food production and productivity arising from the increased funding availability.Commentary: Is Singapore’s decades-long shift away from agriculture about to take a U-turn?
A sobering realisation with high-tech farms and factories is that energy costs determine their economic viability and indirectly affect how produce is priced.