Did you know that Singapore has over 200 registered farms as of 2020? As a small city-state that imports more than 90% of our food, we bet that chances are that most people didn’t know that. In fact, an NTU student-led campaign named Fresh off the Dot did a survey, which revealed that 85% of parents in Singapore did not know that there are more than 100 farms in Singapore and 54% were unable to recognise the SG Fresh Produce logo.
Why support local? With shorter farm to fork distance compared to imported produce, there is lower carbon footprint so it is more environmentally friendly. Moreover, local produce means that they are harvested when they’re best for consumption and again, with less farm to fork distance, local produce is fresher and less nutrients are lost during transportation time. Moreover, the COVID pandemic has highlighted the importance of self-reliance when it comes to food security, which is part of the Singapore Green Plan where our nation hopes to build up our agri-food industry’s capability and capacity to produce 30% of our nutritional needs.
Convinced to eat local? When it comes to supporting local, there is definitely more that can be done and here are six easy ways to do so!
1. Incorporate local produce in your grocery runs
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You can find local produce at most supermarket chains and grocery stores in Singapore. Simply look out for the SG Fresh Produce (SGFP) logo packing of primary produce grown locally. CS Fresh at Great World City also has an indoor farming display (in collaboration with Sustenir Agriculture) where you can buy its crops directly. You can also check out local brand, Just Produce, that carries a variety of salads and specialty herbs that are free of chemical pesticides or GMOs. They have produced salad leaves with unique flavours such as Wasabi, Lemon and Himalayan Pink Salt and they retail online and in-stores including RedMart, PandaMart and FairPrice.
2. Order fresh local produce online
Some supermarket chains such as Prime Supermarket have dedicated categories for local produce on their website. In collaboration with Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Limited (SAFEF), RedMart Lazada also has a E-SG Farmer’s Market Section where online shoppers can easily add local produce to their carts.
If you’d like to buy produce from individual farms, check out the list from Singapore Food Agency (SFA)’s featured farms on their microsite.
Fresh off the Dot has also compiled a list of where people can buy local produce from and you can check it out here.
3. Plan a farm visit
Why not plan a visit to some of the farms in Singapore with the family so that you and your children get to see some nature and get to know how their food is produced! You can plan a heritage trail with the Kranji Countryside Express bus, taken from Kranji MRT station. Some of the stops include:
- Nyee Phoe (Gardenasia)
- Bollywood Veggies
- Hay Dairies Goat Farm
- Jurong Frog Farm
Some of the farms, such as Hay Dairies and Jurong Frog Farm, have exciting activities as well as tours that would entertain both young and old. Just remember to check out the timings prior from their websites https://haydairies.sg and https://jurongfrogfarm.com.sg/ so that you can plan accordingly.
4. Give local produce to those in need
Charity organisation Food from the Heart and The Local Farm by Gardenasia have teamed up to provide beneficiaries access to local fresh farm produce. The initiative is carried out in a sustainable manner for both local farmers and beneficiaries; for farmers, this means demand over a longer term. From January 2022, the initiative will see 1,000 households enjoying fresh local farm produce supplied by N&N Agriculture, Lian Wah Hang Farm, Yili Farm and Kin Yan Agrotech. Gardenasia aggregates and curates the produce for delivery to Food from the Heart’s minimart in Boon Lay.
If you’d like to be part of this Initiative, donations can be made here.
5. Sign up for urban farming workshops and more
The newly renovated Choa Chu Kang Public Library boasts an indoor garden, which features new experiences such as augmented reality activities and a hydroponics showcase. The hydroponics showcase is located at the Green Grove that offers accompanying workshops and programmes. While it has a controlled environment that is optimal for the plants’ growth, patrons are invited to visit during scheduled hours to take a closer look. Alternatively, patrons may observe through the glass panel freely on their own.
Local farm VertiVegies regularly conduct urban farming workshops, which you can check out on their website https://www.vertivegies.farm/farmex.
6. Keep up to date with local produce on social media
By keeping yourself up to date with local produce through the various websites and social media platforms, you can support them by understanding what sort of products they are producing and you can also be an influencer among your sphere of family and friends.
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Singapore Food Agency
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SAFEF
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Kranji Countryside Association
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Fresh off the Dot
Images: Archisen Technology (Just Produce), CS Fresh, Fresh off the Dot, Gardenasia, Jurong Frog Farm, National Library Board and Singapore Food Agency
Melissa Fann
