AGRICULTURE INTEGRATED WITH PUBLIC HOUSING - PROVIDING 100% OF SINGAPORE'S LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLE DEMAND THROUGH PLANT FACTORY WITH ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING (PFAL)

Abstract

Despite importing more than 90% of its food to meet its local needs, Singapore is ranked the fourth most food secured country in the world, according to the 2017 edition of the Global Food Security Index. Singapore achieves this by adopting a food security strategy that depends heavily on the global food supply from multiple sources and it has been a strategy that has been very successful. The dissertation examines food security as defined by the Singapore government, the United Nations and the Global Food Security Index, in order to understand how Singapore is able to achieve such high standing in global food security. It also provides the basis for understanding the ramifications of climate change and the current state of geo-politics has on Singapore, which is heavily reliant on the global food supply. The dissertation further explores, through a feasibility study, the opportunity for Singapore to enhance its food security by producing leafy green vegetables through Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting (PFAL) integrated with public housing. Approximately 80% of Singapore’s population live in public housing, which is developed by the Singapore government. This presents a unique opportunity as the government has control over a large building stock. A PFAL is air-tight and independent of external climatic or soil conditions. In a land-scarce country like Singapore, a PFAL presents an opportunity for agriculture to be practiced in a much urbanised setting without incurring the usage of additional land. This feasibility study maps the extent of development required to achieve the goal of producing sufficient leafy green vegetable to meet local demand, progressively over a period of 20 years. The proposal is achievable from a spatial point of view would allow Singapore to shift to self-reliance in food production requiring additional land. It also provides an understanding of the scale of development required for Singapore to enhance local food production beyond leafy green vegetables.