Speech by MOS Dr Koh Poh Koon at the G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting
Jun 6, 2016
Singapore would like to thank Minister Han Changfu and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the warm hospitality and excellent hosting of the G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting.
We are honoured by China’s invitation to participate in the G20 process this year. We commend G20’s work on food security and nutrition, and the priorities set forth by the Chinese Presidency. In particular, we agree that scientific and technological innovation is crucial to the global agricultural development and towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Innovation to boost agricultural yields and productivity
Agriculture in the 21st century faces multiple challenges. The world population is expected to grow by another 2 billion people, from 7 billion today to 9 billion by 2050. The United Nations has forecasted that urbanisation will accelerate with cities accounting for 70% of the world population in 2050, resulting in the loss of arable land for food production. We are also seeing adverse effects of climate change. Global demand for food will continue to grow exponentially and put food production, water and energy resources under immense strain.
Food production thus needs to be more innovative to feed the world. We need to break away from conventional methods of farming and adopt technologies and innovations that could help to achieve quantum leaps in agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner.
Singapore is implementing transformational strategies and policies to achieve our vision of a high-tech, automated and productive agricultural sector that intensifies the use of limited farmland and manpower resources.
In 2014, the Government launched a S$63 million Agriculture Productivity Fund (APF) to help progressive farms automate, conduct R&D on new production technologies, and invest in transformational farming systems, equipment, and infrastructure. Vertical and indoor farming are examples of transformational farming systems. One of our farms, Sky Greens, the world’s first low-carbon hydraulic-driven vertical farm, is about five times more productive than conventional farms yet uses less land, electricity and manpower. We envision creating the right environment where our farmers can grow more with less through the use of technology and innovation.
The future of agriculture will include the application of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). These are potential tools that can result in better integration and productivity across the food value chain, and we should explore how best to harness these game-changing applications right now.
Food safety is integral to food security
Food security cannot be achieved without food safety. Singapore maintains an integrated risk-based food safety system. We actively harness Research & Development to create value in food supply chains such as in food safety innovation and to advance consumer food safety in areas of novel diagnostics, detection and preservations technology, and systems.
Reducing food loss and waste
Singapore recognises the importance of reducing food loss and waste in a holistic manner by reduction, redistribution and recycling. We support the G20 Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste and the Global Research Network on Reduction of Food Losses and Food Waste. We are actively pursuing ways to minimise food loss and waste along the food supply chain, including ongoing public education and outreach.
Free and open trade and investments in food
Singapore believes that a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is critical to achieving food security. Trade-distorting measures such as export bans which are inconsistent with WTO rules will affect production and threaten livelihoods in food importing and exporting countries.
G20 members and private sector partners can also play an enhanced role in agricultural investment such as in infrastructure and logistics.
Conclusion
To conclude, Singapore supports the G20 Agriculture Ministers Communiqué, the G20 Food Security and Nutrition Framework and the G20 Action Plan on Food Security and Sustainable Food Systems. We encourage coordinated planning and prioritisation of G20 food security initiatives. In this way, G20 can drive efficient momentum and continuity of improved food security governance, policy coherence and effectiveness globally. Thank you.