FEEDING CITIES THROUGH URBAN AGRICULTURE: A CASE STUDY OF SINGAPORE

Abstract

Increasing urban food production has multiple benefits. Using Singapore as a case study, I investigated how commercial farming and non-commercial gardening can contribute to sustainable urban food production. First, I compared the production performance of commercial leafy vegetable farming systems in Singapore. Vertical farming with natural lighting had the highest production potential. The resilience of Singapore’s vegetable supply chain was then evaluated using a simulated pandemic-led supply chain disruption. Panic buying of consumers appeared to exacerbate vegetable shortages and wastage. Additionally, I explored the vegetable production potential of home and community gardening. Experimental yields for a high-rise building indicated that home gardening can be a viable source of vegetables. Conversely, interviews with community gardeners revealed a general lack of confidence in community gardens as food sources. Lastly, a series of vegetable cultivation experiments demonstrated how municipal waste can be recycled into agricultural inputs for a more sustainable urban agriculture system.