How high-tech city state Singapore became an eco metropolis
The world’s first one Michelin-starred ‘new Singaporean’ restaurant sources 70% of its ingredients from Singapore; the figure sat at 90% before the pandemic and the manager was enthusiastic about his plans to return to local suppliers very soon.
By NewsChain Lifestyle
March 16, 2022
Excerpt:
I pinch a delicate mint leaf from a row of potted plants. “The restaurant next door uses our herbs in their dishes,” my guide, Sarah, tells me. I’m on a rooftop seven floors above a busy shopping mall, but the garden is as abundant as anything on the ground.
The urban farm approach to growing food in confined spaces opens my eyes to the possibilities of sustainable living in a big city. But it’s no surprise that my moment of clarity strikes in Singapore, a self-proclaimed ‘city in a garden’.
In a city-state where plants and skyscrapers collide, rooftop farms might not sound like a revolutionary idea, but the brains behind Edible Garden City have started a small movement of horticultural high-rises.
The team has created 260 urban gardens in just 10 years. The purpose-built plant-based pantries are designed to completely revolutionise the country’s food supply. Currently, Singaporeans grow 10% of the food they eat, a figure the government hopes to change to 30% by 2030.
Sarah is proud to let me know that the garden I’m visiting at Funan features in the plans for the building, and other farms can be found at Raffles City and Queenstown. Both are open to volunteers Monday to Thursday. Tours and workshops are also available through ediblegardencity.com.
