Our Singapore Food Story 2

Climate change is causing sea-level rise and more intense droughts which directly affect rice production along the Mekong Delta.

For food items like rice and vegetables, climate impacts like floods, droughts and heatwaves can wipe out entire harvests. Supply shortages may cascade through global food supply chains and affect Singapore. Global shortages can be made more acute when food-producing countries impose export restrictions.

Climate shocks can affect an entire region at once. For example, the rice that we eat is mainly produced in the Mekong region. Rice harvests take months or years to recover, once disrupted. It may be hard to find alternative sources at short notice if the entire Mekong region is affected.

Vegetables, while generally faster-growing, are not immune to climate shocks. Prolonged hot and dry conditions, such as during El Niño, can span multiple growing cycles and significantly disrupt yields.

In recent years, animal diseases such as bird flu and African Swine Fever have spread across countries and regions. Higher temperatures due to climate change create favourable conditions for pests and diseases to spread, increasing the risk of outbreaks. Diseases spread across connected borders quickly. When farms are struck, entire flocks and herds may have to be culled to curb the spread. Exporting countries may need to quarantine entire regions or stop exports of affected food items entirely. Some diseases may become endemic over time, causing disruptions to persist or recur.

Unlike crops, livestock take longer to breed and grow. A single disease incursion may disrupt meat supplies over many months or even years.

Disruptions can take different forms. 

• Some affect specific routes. For example, the Suez Canal blockage in 2021 affected food exported from Europe to Asia.

The Suez Canal is one of the most crucial arteries in global shipping, linking Asia and Europe. In Mar 2021, a 400m container ship ran aground and blocked the Canal for six days, causing a backlog of over 400 vessels and months of disruption to shipping schedules.

• Others impact multiple trade routes and transport modalities. COVID-19 border restrictions and closures around the world disrupted a wide range of food items reaching Singapore by both sea and air. 

• There may also be secondary effects that play out over time. 
  • The 2022 Russia–Ukraine conflict led to a shortage of animal feed, which affected protein production in some countries and contributed to export bans in the subsequent months and years. 
  • Conflict in the Middle East in 2026 has led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting not just energy, but also fertiliser flows. This could translate to higher logistics cost, lower agricultural yields, and potential food supply disruptions.

Singapore imports over 90% of our food, so having multiple sources can help stabilise supply when disruptions occur. Today, Singapore can import food from more than 180 countries and regions, up from about 140 two decades ago.

By sourcing broadly, we can reduce the impact of a disruption and turn to alternative sources more easily when needed.

Strong Government-to-Government partnerships with like-minded countries and regions help strengthen existing food supply chains, especially during disruptions.

Partnerships can take different forms, including Government-to-Government agreements and facilitating overseas food production.

Stockpiling essential food items such as rice and meats buys us time and gives us options to restore food flows while sustaining our basic needs during widespread disruptions.

In a prolonged crisis, stockpiles can run out. Local production is our one source that is regenerative.

More of our farms are moving towards controlled environments, which make them more climate resilient.

We are increasing our capability and capacity to produce fibre and protein food types that can be grown efficiently and at scale locally:

• Fibre food types include fresh leafy and fruited vegetables (e.g. xiao bai cai and okra) as well as beansprouts and mushrooms.
• Protein food types include eggs and seafood (e.g. fish and shrimp).

• If one source is disrupted, we can work with the industry to source from unaffected countries and regions.

• We can also activate our rice trade agreements with rice exporting countries, to increase food flows in times of need. 

• In a prolonged disruption, we can activate industry and government stockpiles.

• We can work with the industry to source from unaffected countries and regions, or switch to other forms and types of protein.

• If a disease outbreak occurs in a source country, we can work with its authorities to isolate affected farms under our regionalisation arrangements, allowing continued imports from disease-free areas.

• We can also ramp up local production of eggs and seafood. 

• In a prolonged disruption, we can rely on our stockpiles.

• Singapore has a diversified supply of vegetables from over 100 countries and regions. 

• For leafy greens which are more perishable and harder to source from afar, our local farms can ramp up production to provide a buffer in times of need.

SFA has been working with exporting countries and regions and the food industry to:

• Open new import sources such as by accrediting countries for food items with higher food safety concern (e.g. meats, eggs). In the past five years, we have opened up more than 10 new sources of such food.

• Connect local food importers with overseas businesses. For example, in 2026, SFA facilitated engagements between Singapore’s Meat Traders’ Association and meat producers in Peru, Paraguay and Chile during a visit to South America. These connections can help introduce new food flows into Singapore over time.

Singapore continues to actively explore collaborations with partners, including:

• Agreements with major food producers such as New Zealand to keep essential supplies flowing in times of crisis.

• Rice trade agreements with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam to ensure steady supply and bring in more rice, when needed.

• Joint feasibility study with Brunei for an Agri-Tech Food Zone, starting with aquaculture.

• ASEAN Ministers Statement on safeguarding food security and supply chains.

Singapore signed rice trade agreements with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, ensuring a stable rice supply and the option to activate additional rice supplies when needed.

Over time, we have expanded our stockpiles to cover all three key food groups – carbohydrates, protein, and fibre.

We work closely with the industry to maintain these stockpiles, focusing on items with longer shelf-life, including rice, frozen protein, and canned vegetables.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, at YCH Group, one of our national stockpile warehouses.

SFA is supporting our farms to become more productive, resource-efficient, and climate-resilient through initiatives including:

• Agri-Food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund: Enables farms to adopt technologies ranging from simple, small-scale technologies – such as LED grow lights, automated feeders, and irrigation systems that reduce manual labour – to large-scale climate-controlled farming systems that ensure year-round production regardless of weather.

• Pilot multi-tenanted facility for agri-food production: Depending on a feasibility study, the government is looking to build a facility that will provide shared infrastructure and services which could lower costs for farms.

• Stay flexible & adaptable
  • Not all our preferred food brands or forms will always be available. Let us be open to alternatives – whether it is trying different sources or choosing frozen instead of chilled or fresh options.
  • During disruptions, stay calm and avoid panic buying. A resilient mindset will tide our community through disruptions.
• Be prepared, not reactive
  • Businesses can strengthen business continuity plans and keep options open by maintaining warm links with multiple suppliers.
  • Households can buy and keep a reasonable amount of non-perishable essential food items for emergencies.
• Support local
  • Choose locally grown food when we can – when grocery shopping or dining at F&B outlets on the Farm-to-Table Recognition Programme (FTTRP). 
  • Your choices make a difference – every purchase helps our farms stay viable and contributes to our collective food resilience. Local produce is also fresher and more sustainable as they incur less logistics miles, and local vegetables are increasingly pesticide-free.