New Stories From 'Urban Agriculture Notes'
Random header image... Refresh for more!

Singapore: NParks to distribute 400,000 seed packs of edible plants this year

Prior to the latest distribution, NParks had already distributed 460,000 seed packets, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee.PHOTO: NPARKS

NParks will be launching the Social Enterprise Community Urban Farm Grant.

By Nadine Chua
The Straits Times
Oct 9, 2021

Excerpt:

This distribution will take the total number of seed packets given out under the Gardening with Edibles programme to 860,000 since the programme’s launch in June 2020, NParks said on Saturday (Oct 9) at the launch of the Singapore Garden Festival Horticulture Show (SGF Hort Show).

The gardening programme aims to encourage the public to garden at home or in community and allotment gardens. It is also aligned with Singapore’s food security goal of producing 30 per cent of its nutritional needs by 2030.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee, who officially opened the SGF Hort Show at the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Saturday morning, said that gardening and horticulture can not only beautify Singapore’s streets, estates, and homes, but can also benefit human health and well-being.

For instance, an NParks study conducted between May and July 2021 involving around 5,700 participants from the Gardening with Edibles programme showed that those who gardened regularly had higher mental resilience than those in the general community.

Growing edible plants will also allow people to enjoy the produce in their meals, Mr Lee said, adding: “In doing so, we can become more aware of the value of food and the hard work that our local farmers put in every day.”

Read the complete article here.