SINGAPORE – Strengthening support for local farmers and reducing food waste in Singapore will be part of a sweeping proposal to enhance food security put before Parliament next week, amid rising food prices caused by hotter weather and Middle East conflicts.

The private member’s motion on food resilience by four PAP MPs will urge the government to enhance food resilience and reduce food waste by working with partners, so as to ensure that Singaporeans will have access to affordable food despite geopolitical uncertainties and climate risks.

The MPs behind the motion are from the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment. They comprise committee chair Poh Li San (Sembawang West), co-chair Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio GRC), Valerie Lee (Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) and Ng Shi Xuan (Sembawang GRC).

Speaking at a media briefing on the motion on Sept 2, the MPs said they will also be raising ideas to improve food waste management and strengthen supply chain resilience during the parliamentary sitting. They will also discuss ways to support the alternative protein industry and opportunities for young Singaporeans in food technology and production.

Singapore adopts a number of measures to safeguard its food security.

This includes diversifying imports from a range of sources, stockpiling food items like rice and frozen meat, locally producing certain food types such as vegetables and seafood, and securing international partnerships to ensure food supplies can flow even during a crisis.

Said Poh: “(Food resilience) is something that concerns all Singaporeans. It concerns our future generations because if we don’t set things right at the beginning, then things may get worse and worse.”

She said the motion draws on feedback gathered in May and July from more than 130 people, including community gardeners, academics and food rescue organisations. The committee also spoke to fish farmers and visited a local vegetable farm Green Harvest to understand how their struggles could be raised in Parliament.