Advancing Agriculture through Technology and Innovation
A partnership between technology and modern farming is revolutionizing the agricultural sector through indoor hydroponics. In Singapore, a pioneering farm is leveraging a farm management system with automation and digitalization to increase yields while reducing resource usage, supplying fresh greens to retailers, hotels, and restaurants.
- Utilizing advanced hydroponics to cultivate 20 varieties of pesticide-free produce
- Implementing an automation platform with a farm management system and recipe management to control machines and processes
- Storing over 100 recipes and allowing for customizable nutrient profiles with precision injection
To address the challenge of food security, a partnership is being formed to support vertical farms in Singapore, focusing on sustainable production and combining farming expertise with technology. The goal is to create a comprehensive farm management system that optimizes crop growth, fertilizer and water usage, and provides remote access to monitor the farm’s status, energy consumption, and water usage.
Key features of this system include automated lighting control, which plays a crucial role in plant photosynthesis, and adjustable LED lighting to optimize growth and reduce energy consumption. By utilizing equipment and manpower efficiently, farms in Singapore can achieve 100% efficacy, save energy, and produce over a ton of produce monthly, with spinach being the top seller.
Sustainable Food Production and Government Initiatives
Singapore’s reliance on global markets for 90% of its food imports has prompted the government to aim for producing 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs locally by 2030 through its 30×30 Vision. To achieve this goal, increased productivity is necessary due to limited land space, making efficient use of agricultural space through partnerships crucial.
- Hydroponic farms use 90% less water, reducing waste and costs
- Producing over one ton of produce with a water bill of only $150 per month
- Shifting towards sustainable grow media to address the growing need for sustainable food sources
Plans are underway to build a new farm on a 2-hectare plot of land awarded by the Singapore food agency, which will be 18 times larger than the current 300 square meter farm. The new IND Farm will utilize advanced farming management systems and programmable logic controllers to automate the entire process, allowing for scalability and potential expansion to multiple farms, ultimately aiming to secure food for generations.
Future Developments and Collaborations
Growing a competitive talent pool and collaborating with artists and companies across sectors is crucial to translating plant science into a digital world, overcoming current challenges, and achieving sustainability and decarbonization targets. By the end of 2025, the new IND Farm is expected to increase production 30 times, marking a significant step towards a more sustainable and food-secure future.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroponics | A method of growing plants using a nutrient-rich solution rather than soil. | The farm utilizes advanced hydroponics to cultivate 20 varieties of pesticide-free produce. |
| Automation | The use of technology to control and operate machines or processes without human intervention. | The farm implements an automation platform with a farm management system to control machines and processes. |
| Digitalization | The process of converting information or processes into a digital format. | The farm is leveraging digitalization to increase yields while reducing resource usage. |
| Sustainability | The ability to maintain or support a process without depleting natural resources. | The goal is to create a comprehensive farm management system that optimizes crop growth and reduces energy consumption, promoting sustainability. |
| Vertical Farming | A method of growing plants in vertically stacked layers, often using hydroponics or aeroponics. | The partnership is being formed to support vertical farms in Singapore, focusing on sustainable production. |
| Food Security | The state of having access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food at all times. | The challenge of food security is being addressed through a partnership to support vertical farms in Singapore. |
| Decarbonization | The process of reducing or eliminating carbon emissions from a system or process. | Collaborations are crucial to achieving decarbonization targets and translating plant science into a digital world. |
| Scalability | The ability of a system or process to be enlarged or expanded without compromising its functionality or efficiency. | The new IND Farm will utilize advanced farming management systems to automate the entire process, allowing for scalability and potential expansion. |
| Efficacy | The ability to produce a desired or intended result. | Farms in Singapore can achieve 100% efficacy by utilizing equipment and manpower efficiently. |
| Photosynthesis | The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy. | Automated lighting control plays a crucial role in plant photosynthesis, optimizing growth and reducing energy consumption. |
| Nutrient Profile | The specific combination and concentration of nutrients required by a plant for optimal growth. | The farm management system allows for customizable nutrient profiles with precision injection. |
| Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) | A computer-based system used to control and automate industrial processes. | The new IND Farm will utilize programmable logic controllers to automate the entire process. |
| Decarbonization Targets | Specific goals or objectives aimed at reducing or eliminating carbon emissions. | Collaborations are crucial to achieving decarbonization targets and translating plant science into a digital world. |
How Singapore is using tech to grow food without farmland 🎓
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Grammar Focus
Grammar Focus: The Use of Passive Voice in Technical and Formal Writing
The passive voice is often used in technical, formal, and academic writing to emphasize the action rather than the doer of the action. In the context of the provided text, which discusses advancements in agriculture through technology, the passive voice is used to describe processes, systems, and outcomes without focusing on who is performing the actions. For example, ‘a partnership is being formed’ and ‘the farm management system is being utilized’ illustrate how the passive voice is used to convey information in a formal and objective manner.
