Passion for urban farming takes Singapore by storm
The Singapore Food Agency is also supporting aquaculture enterprises to raise productivity in a sustainable fashion.
By Gabriele Bettinazzi
Fair Planet
July 21, 2022
Excerpt:
In Leow’s mind, the role of growing food became even more essential during the pandemic, which strained the flow of imported food to Singapore. He thus spearheaded the creation of Nutopia, an ungated rooftop garden in the Serangoon district, to provide free food for the local community.
At Nutopia, a team of volunteers grow a variety of crops such as lettuce, corn, eggplant and potatoes, using the agroforestry method in which the soil is covered with trees and shrubs – much like in a rainforest – to create a resilient environment that can live off rainwater. This in turn cuts down on irrigation while spawning a huge biodiversity of insects and birds that facilitate the recycling of nutrients.
Nutopia encapsulates the main driving force that turned urban farming into a common activity among Singaporeans: the desire to foster social bonds while making food supplies more resilient and environmentally friendly.
“We created an open space for people to come together and get harvest plants as and when they wanted,” said Leow, adding that one of the exciting benefits of the initiative is the intergenerational sharing of knowledge and experiences between children and the elderly, as well as the opportunity to socialise and forge friendships.
