Speech by Minister Lawrence Wong at the International Rice Congress 2018

Oct 15, 2018

I am very happy to join you this morning for the opening of the International Rice Congress (IRC). Let me start by welcoming all delegates to Singapore, especially those who have come from abroad. Singapore is very honoured to host this 5th edition of the IRC, which I understand is known also as the “Olympics of Rice Science”. We are not a rice producing country, in Singapore, but we are big consumers; we are also traders and so we have an interest in rice and are very delighted to have a chance to host this congress.

Rice is the staple food crop for about half the world’s population, especially for all of us living in Asia. In the case of Singapore, one-third of our calorie intake is from rice. So we clearly have a very keen interest in the developments in this sector. I understand that this year’s conference will cover a wide range of topics – from genetic improvement of rice, to sustainable farming and disruptive technologies. These are all timely issues to discuss. We saw in the video that global population is rising and global rice demand is projected to increase by up to 25% between 2010 and 2030, to reach 550 million tonnes per annum. Asia’s rice consumption is projected to account for about two-thirds of this total increase.

Growth in rice production has slowed significantly, and has been outstripped by population growth over the past decade. Climate change is making the situation worse. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that the climate is changing.  It is not a question of if, but is simply a matter of how far the global temperatures will increase and by what period of time. Despite our best efforts at mitigation, we have to be prepared to adapt to the adverse effects of rising global temperature. Heat stress and more frequent climate extremes will be a threat to rice crops and this can lead to a significant loss in rice yield and production. If we fail to take action, rice prices could increase by more than 30% by 2050, as estimated by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Agriculture and climate change are of course deeply intertwined. Climate change poses a threat to food production. But at the same time, agriculture itself is a sector that generates high amounts of carbon emissions.  We often think of intensive animal farming as the main source of such emissions but traditional rice farming is also a contributor – due to the methane and nitrous oxide gases produced by soil microbes in rice fields. 

So we need major changes to our rice and food production systems – to make them more resilient to weather disruptions, and also to reduce their emissions and their impact on the environment. Fortunately, modern science and new technologies offer promising solutions.  For example, we now have the ability to make rice production systems more climate-friendly.  There are new rice varieties and production techniques that can adapt to climate change and also reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions.  We also have new regional networks and platforms to enable the sharing of rice technology and market information. All these help to raise farm productivity and improve trading arrangements between farmers, merchants, and consumers. These are promising developments, and we should keep up the momentum to transform the rice and agricultural industry.  We can do so by focusing on three areas: research, enterprise, and collaboration.

First, on research, R&D has brought about many new and innovative technological breakthroughs and solutions. The global community of rice scientists continues to break new ground. In recent years, more than 3,000 types of rice varieties have had their genomes successfully sequenced. Through this, researchers have been able to identify more than 10,000 new rice genes, and over 29 million variations throughout the genomes. This information will enable greater precision in rice breeding, and reduce the time required to develop new varieties to overcome some of the challenges I mentioned earlier. 

In addition, hybrid rice varieties enable us to intensify the production of good quality grains. For example, “Green Super Rice” varieties have been developed. They are known for their ability to adapt to tough conditions, such as drought, salinity, and high temperatures. This will not only bolster food security amid climate change, but will also help in the global move towards more sustainable rice production. There are many more success stories like this, and I am sure you will have the opportunity to discuss some of these breakthroughs over the coming days.  

The second area is enterprise. In recent years, we’ve seen more start-ups entering the agriculture sector, helping to commercialise new technologies, and to introduce innovative farming practices. There are a wide range of innovative methods now being introduced in agriculture. Some companies focus on mobile apps; others make use of high tech devices like sensors and drones. They all help farmers perform critical tasks with greater ease and efficiency, be it scouting for pests, monitoring farm conditions, or managing agronomic data. 

Some start-ups have ventured into food science. For instance, a start-up in Singapore, Alchemy Foodtech has developed a product that can be added to rice to lower its glycaemic index and thus lower the risk of diabetes. They do this without altering the taste, appearance and texture of the rice. They are now working with food manufacturers to expand their reach to consumers and we wish them every success. I am sure that there are other ways to lower the glycaemic index of rice. It is an important issue for all of us in Asia given our predisposition to diabetes and in many ways, rice is more potent a risk than sugary drinks for Asians, when it comes to the risk of diabetes. So lowering the glycaemic index of rice should be a priority for all of us. 

We should continue to embrace and support the start-up ecosystem for the agriculture sector.  This is like how we nurse and nurture our young saplings, so that they can grow into a forest, and bear fruits to feed the world.

The third area is collaboration. Innovation is often found where different disciplines meet and where there is cross-fertilisation of ideas. So collaboration will be key to breaking new ground and unlocking new solutions. In this regard, I would like to commend the important role that the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has been playing. Through its extensive research networks, the IRRI has partnered stakeholders from rice communities worldwide to develop food security solutions. 

One example is the Hybrid Rice Development Consortium (HRDC). This is an association under IRRI that facilitates collaborations in the research, technology dissemination, and commercialisation of hybrid rice products. Just about a month ago, HRDC entered into an agreement with a Philippines-based agritech company to commercialise two elite hybrid rice varieties. Such hybrids have the potential to benefit the region by increasing yields by up to 20%. I hope you will see many more examples of new collaborations both across the entire agriculture value chain, as well as with new industries.

Finally, I would like to say a little bit about how Singapore is doing our part to contribute to the rice and food sector.  For most people, the first impression of Singapore is that we are a food paradise – for consumers, not producers. Because here in Singapore, there is no shortage of good food options. From affordable hawker food to fine dining choices, and they span the full gamut of different cuisines, in line with our diverse multi-cultural heritage.  But in terms of local food production, we have far fewer options.  We are a city state, just over 700 square kilometres, severely constrained in land, and we import virtually all of our food.  

Yet Singapore aspires to become a living laboratory for innovative urban food solutions, and we believe that we have the ability and the competitive advantage to do this well.  While land will always be a constraint for us, it can also serve as a motivator for more productive urban farming methods. After all, necessity is the mother of all invention. That’s why some of our local farmers are already embarking on new ways of farming, be it through vertical racks and factory-like controlled environments, all of which are enabling higher production yields with a smaller physical footprint.   

We are also well-placed as a centre for innovative food activities, given our existing R&D capabilities in agri-tech and strengths in adjacent areas such as biotech and robotics. In many ways, the modern urban farm is going to represent the automated manufacturing environment, and these are strengths that we already have in biotech and robotics. In fact, agri companies like Syngenta and Bayer CropScience have already set up state-of-the-art research centres here, to develop seed treatment technologies, pest management products, and better crop varieties.  

Within Singapore, we are also investing in food R&D, and growing our own capabilities. One research institution is the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL), which is affiliated with our two main universities, the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University.  The researchers from TLL developed a new aromatic rice cultivar known as “Temasek Rice”, which was commercialised in 2016. It is of good grain quality, and has the ability to withstand extreme climate conditions and pathogen infections. Today, it is being planted by local farmers in Indonesia. In short, there is a vibrant eco-system of cutting-edge food research and innovative food production that is developing in Singapore. We want to grow this space, and we welcome all stakeholders to use Singapore as a base for such activities. This is one tangible way in which Singapore can help to promote more sustainable farming in the region and in the world.  

To conclude, these are challenging but also exciting times for the agriculture and food industry. Agriculture can and must be part of the solution to tackle climate change. We must intensify our research, enterprise and collaboration efforts to transform rice and agriculture production methods. This congress itself is an excellent platform for the community to share its experiences, successes and learning points.  

I hope experiences and the discussions from your sessions will generate insights that will help chart new directions and spur new innovations for the industry. On that note, I wish you a productive conference ahead and a fruitful time in Singapore.