Key Points on Ensuring Food Security in Singapore

Overview

• Singapore will face disruptions in our food supply from time to time, due to volatility in crop yields, geopolitical developments, and unexpected policy changes. Climate change, which brings with it the loss of arable land and more erratic weather patterns, will put more strain on the global food supply.

• There is no need to hoard or panic buy food products as we have strengthened our food security with buffer stocks and diversified sources to cope with supply disruptions. We can also be more open to alternatives and flexible about our food choices.

Key points

• Over 90% of Singapore’s food comes from some 170 countries and regions. This heavy reliance on food import leaves us exposed to external forces, from supply shocks in source countries to disruptions in global supply chains.

• For instance, global supply chain fallouts from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war have led to an increase in frequency and scale of disruptions in food supply.

Singapore’s efforts to strengthen food resilience

• Singapore has built and strengthened our food resilience over the years, drawing on past lessons. In 1959, the Primary Production Department was set up to provide for the socio-economic development of rural communities, including raising farming productivity. The measures took off, and by the 1980s, Singapore achieved self-sufficiency with the local production of eggs, poultry, and pork.

• However, over time, with the scarcity of land, the number of farms dwindled out and we relied more on imports for our food needs. But the rising volatility in food prices in the mid-2000s prompted us to rethink our food strategy. Food imports and diversification had to be supplemented by secondary measures, such as stockpiling and local production.

• The Singapore government maintains a national stockpile of essential items, such as rice, infant milk powder, and face masks. For instance, in March 2020, Singapore has stockpiled more than three months’ worth of carbohydrates like rice and noodles (the Rice Stockpile Scheme started in 1968), and more than two months’ worth of stockpiles for proteins and vegetables.

• While less than 10% of Singapore’s food is locally grown, food produced locally can also provide a buffer in the event of supply disruptions.

• In 2024, Singapore’s local agri-food sector primarily comprises hen shell egg, vegetable, and seafood farms, which respectively contributed about 34%, 3%, and 6% to our total food consumption.

Graph: Singapore Food Statistics (SgFS) 2024

Follow these ABC tips on your grocery run!

• Always buy what you need, and do not over-purchase.

• Be flexible and adaptable with your protein options

• Choose alternatives such as frozen or processed chicken!

Let’s do our part and buy only what we need.

Image: Singapore Food Agency (SFA)