Vertical farming – What are the problems?

Greenery, Problems, vertical farming
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Hey there!

This post will be a continuation of my previous post about vertical farming. Today I will be focusing on the problems associated with the rise of vertical farming.

Here is the link to my previous post:

Vertical Farming – Vegetables from the Sky

Singapore is very reliant on the exports of other countries for food. Over 90% of the food consumed in Singapore is imported (AVA, 2015). This emphasizes the importance in increasing the production of local food through farming so that we are less susceptible to external factors and food security can be ensured. However, the problem of land scarcity is causing farming, which usually requires a substantial amount of land, to be at stake. Innovative methods like vertical farms can be the solution in reviving the farming industry and ensuring stable local food production but this is not as easy as it sounds. Innovative methods usually involve the use of high technology which can have a high start-up cost. Moreover, there is a problem of attracting younger Singaporeans to this industry. This can be due to the fact that the farming industry is not well-known considering that most of the younger generation grew up living in an urban environment with little exposure to farms.

“The sector needs young talent to find new and creative ways of farming, so that we can make a difference to people’s lives and the environment”
Benjamin Swan, vertical farmer and co-founder of Sustenir Agriculture

Here lies another problem: What will happen to the traditional farmers? With the rise of methods like vertical farms, making a living will be more difficult for these farmers. There are already signs of these farmers diminishing. In June 2017, 62 farms in Kranji will be relocated to make way for the training grounds under Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) (Ong, 2016). It can be a little problematic for the farmers as shifting land for agriculture can result in inevitable damage for crops. Furthermore, Proposed actions such as the restriction of non-staple food farms and the short 10 to 20 year lease for new sites have left many farmers with no choice but to consider leaving the industry (Ong, 2016). I wonder what can be done regarding this knotty issue.

The farming industry now is very different compared to the past, and I hope that more people can be attracted to think of creative ways for farming to coexist with our urban living. To end off the post, here is a video about an agricultural hub which was shown during the talk at Sky Greens. Even though the hub is only a vision, it can give you a whole new perspective about the possible agriculture scene of Singapore in the future. Enjoy!

Video Courtesy of Sky Greens and Audax Visuals

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:

Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, (2015, December 21), The Food We Eat, Retrieved on 7 September 2016 from: http://www.ava.gov.sg/explore-by-sections/food/singapore-food-supply/the-food-we-eat

Singh, B. (2016, July 6), Vertical Farms on the Rise in Land Scarce Singapore, Retrieved on 7 September 2016, from: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/vertical-farms-on-the-rise-in-land-scarce-singapore

Audax Visuals, (2015, November 3), Sky Greens, Retrieved on 7 September 2016, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VdL3iWE-rw

Ong, J, (2016 May 28), Unanswered Questions, Uncertain Future for Krani Farmers, Retrieved on 2 September 2016 from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/unanswered-questions/2823076.html

Vertical Farming – Vegetables from the Sky

development, Greenery, vertical farming
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Hey there!

If horizontal does not work, go vertical. A simple idea yet it is the main concept behind vertical farming which has become increasingly popular due to the lack of land space.

Last Wednesday, our batch (Environmental Studies Year 1 Students) went to Sky Greens as part of our learning journey. Sky greens is the ‘world’s first low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical farm’ which promotes farming with green methods (Sky Greens, 2014). The farm consists of rows of tall greenhouses. In each greenhouse, there are about 16 towers as high as 9 metres, each with 38 tiers of rotating growing toughs filled with vegetables.

Row of Greenhouses

Row of Greenhouses (Photo taken by Johanah Seow)

sky greens

Photo Courtesy of Sky Greens (Growing troughs of vegetables)

It is really fascinating how they maximise the use of resources. One example is water. According to Sky Greens, only 12 litres of water is used per kilogram of vegetables. This is because rainwater is collected and used for watering through the water pipes. The excess water that is not absorbed by the vegetables is returned back to the pipes where it can be reused to water the vegetables again for up to 3-5 cycles. Water pressure is also used as hydraulic energy to rotate the toughs, reducing a significant amount of electricity.

Cai Xin

Cai Xin harvested at the end of the tour which is purplish compared to the cai xin we usually see

Only 0.5% of Singapore’s land is allocated for agricultural purposes (Commonwealth network, 2013). With such limited land available, vertical farms is indeed an ingenious idea. Such feature not only maximises the use of space, the incorporation of these farms into our urban environment can also make farming more accessible which can make the industry more prominent. It is interesting that farming is no longer limited to land with soil. Sky greens has plans to place these greenhouses in rooftops or even integrate vertical farms into building facades or interior walls. These greenhouses can even be placed afloat on water (just like the Marina Bay Floating Platform), reflecting that the location of the greenhouses can be extended beyond solid ground. It has come to a point where farming can be done everywhere, even within the concrete walls where we work and live.

“It’s sad when you ask children where vegetables come from, and they say NTUC, or when you ask them where chickens come from and they say the fridge.”
Ms Chai Sheau Shi of organic vegetable farm Fire Flies

I feel that the quote above is something that we can all think about. I believe that the inclusion of farms into our urban living can allow us to gain a better understanding of our food sources. Farming may not be an major contributor to our economy but according to a quail farmer William Ho, farms can prove to be helpful in times of emergencies like SARS and bird flu (Ong, 2016). Therefore, I hope that more local farms can be promoted and treasured. In my next post, I will be discussing about the problems associated with vertical farming. Stay tuned!

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:
Sky Greens, (2014), About Sky Greens, Retrieved on 1 September 2016 from: http://www.skygreens.com/about-skygreens/

Commonwealth of Nations, (n.d), Find Agriculture Expertise in Singapore, Retrieved on 1 September 2016 from: http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/sectors-singapore/business/agriculture/

Ong, J, (2016 May 28), Unanswered Questions, Uncertain Future for Krani Farmers, Retrieved on 2 September 2016 from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/unanswered-questions/2823076.html

 

Sembawang Sports Hub: Building into the Green Memories

development, Greenery
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Hey there!

Today I wanted to highlight the newly planned Sembawang Sports Hub which caught my attention when I saw it on the news recently. You guys may ask: It’s just a Sports Hub, what is it that is so special? Well, this is because the greenery and heritage of the area will be retained and incorporated into the hub.

Here is the video on the development plans of the sports hub:


Video Courtesy of Channel News Asia 

As shown in the video, the facilities of the sports hub include forest trails, an eco-friendly hawker centre and even a swimming pool surrounded by nature (Siong, 2016). It is really interesting because according to our Acting Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, it is intended that the facilities of the sports hub would be built into the forested area instead of planting trees around the facilities (Ong, 2016), striking a fine balance between development and conservation. 

It is comforting to know that the residents of Sembawang wish that the greenery would be retained as much as possible, as shown in the video, reflecting that people do care and treasure the greenery around them. From the video, it can be inferred one of the reasons they wish to preserve the greenery could be that they associate the greenery with their joyful memories they had and they feel that retaining the greenery would also retain the essence of their living environment, since Sembawang used to be a kampong with plantations and fruit trees (Nparks, 2016). I tend to ponder if evoking nostalgia among the public can be an effective way to let them appreciate the greenery around them. While educating on the benefits of greenery can be a good idea to allow the general public to appreciate the greenery, perhaps, it could also be helpful to appeal to the emotions of the public by letting them reminisce the cheerful memories brought by greenery and the sentimental value of the greenery in their lives.

“There are now 761 trees in the area and while 200 trees will be cleared to make way for the project, another 1,000 trees will be replanted.”

Acting Education Minister and a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sembawang GRC Ong Ye Kung

Considering that the greenery in Sembawang is well-known (Au-yong, 2015), it may seem a little regretful that some greenery have to be cleared to make way for the sports hub. At times, I wonder if the sports hub is necessary in exchange of the greenery which has a great sentimental value for many living in Sembawang. However, I do appreciate the efforts taken by the developers and government to preserve as much greenery as possible and to use greenery as the main feature of the hub.

Regardless, looking at the artist impression of these facilities made me believe that there is potential for the sports hub to be popular in the future and to promote the greenery of the area. For now, we shall be patient as we wait for the hub to become a reality. 🙂

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:

Siong, O (2016 July 3) Greenery and Heritage to be retained at New Sembawang Integrated Hub, Retrieved on 22 August 2016 from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/greenery-and-heritage-to/2926332.html

Nparks (2016 August 16) Pasir Panjang Nursery, Retrieved on 23 August 2016 from:
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/news/2016/8/pasir-panjang-nursery

Au-Yong, R (2015 August 15) Sembawang to get Hawker Centre Swimming Complex, Retrieved on 25 August 2016 from:
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sembawang-to-get-hawker-centre-swimming-complex 

 

Making Way(s) for Nature

Greenery, Nature ways
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Hey there!

A few months ago, I came across certain routes in Singapore called Nature Ways. No, it is not a brand of a health supplement I am refering to. Nature Ways are routes or pathways where greenery are planted in a way that replicates the natural forest structure so that animals can move between two green spaces (Nparks, 2015).

Photo courtesy of Nparks
My first impression is that it is a simple idea but a clever solution to connect two green spaces fragmented from urbanisation. Yet there are many people who do not know about this. To be frank, I have actually cycled through the Punggol Nature Way a few times without knowing that it was actually a nature way meant for animals to commute.
Scenic View at Punggol Nature Way (Photo taken by Johanah Seow)
Scenic View at Punggol Nature Way

The rationale behind nature ways is simple but it requires careful planning as to which kind of plants should be used to successfully attract animals to use them. Regardless, I agree that this is an effective way to enhance biodiversity of Singapore as with increased accessibility between the various green spaces, the habitats of wildlife can be expanded to include more green areas. Moreover, nature ways bring nature closer to communities and provides opportunities for them to contribute in preserving the natural heritage. For instance, bird surveys are carried out and communities are engaged to use Nature Society Singapore (NSS) Bird Guide app to record sightings of birds in Kheam Hock nature way (Khoo & Chia, 2013).

Nature ways 2
Photo courtesy of Nparks

Of course, nature ways are far from replacing the original natural forest that was lost during the process of urbanisation. However, it is still commendable that effort is being done to recreate the natural landscape and minimise the inevitable damage caused by development. I do wonder if nature ways can be expanded to include other species of animals as these routes are currently focused on attracting birds and butterflies. In addition, I wonder if the very idea of nature ways can also be applied to our normal streetscape such that the greenery of our streets can also be based on the structure of a forest. Am I getting a little too far-fetched? After all, it is not easy as the active and bustling nature of these streets may not provide a suitable environment of some of these animals (compared to the location of the current nature ways which are quieter). Well, I guess it is still worth a thought!

Streetscape in Hougang: Seems like the greenery has a stucture isn't it?
Streetscape in Hougang: Seems like the greenery has a stucture isn’t it? It actually prompted me to think whether the structure of a forest can be applied to a normal street like this.

Nature ways re-emphasize the potential of greenery as important linkages between urban and nature. Currently, there are 7 nature ways and there will definitely be more to come in the future. Think about this: Singapore has an interconnected network of roads but wouldn’t it be cool if Singapore likewise has a wide network of nature ways? 🙂 

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:

Nparks, (2015 January 5) Nature Ways, Retrieved on 16 August 2016, from: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/nature-ways
Khoo, k & Chia, C (2013) People & Places: Creating Ways for nature to travel, Retrieved on 18 August 2016, from: https://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/creating-ways-for-nature-to-travel/

 

Welcome!

Greenery, Introduction
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City in a garden. This is the vision Singapore has been striving towards. Greening efforts in Singapore were started by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, our prime minister then, in 1963 when a Mempat tree was planted (Nparks, 2015). This marks the start of a national-wide movement to introduce greenery into our surroundings. Interestingly, the campaign began with the intention to beautify the country and attract investors and tourists:

‘(Mr) Lee (Kuan Yew) argued that creating a garden-city image would convince visitors and investors that Singapore, emerging from colonial rule, was a well-governed place subject to the rule of law. Planting trees island-wide also countered an inequity of British rule, when only wealthy areas enjoyed gardens.’

An extract taken from citiscope, How Singapore makes biodiversity an important part of urban life (2015) by Grace Chua

However, there is no doubt that the benefits greenery has brought are much more than just aesthetics. In this blog, Plantiful Bounty, I will be exploring greening efforts in Singapore and hopefully at the end of this journey, you and I will be able to gain valuable insights and grow a greater appreciation for greenery! 🙂

Before we begin, let me introduce myself!

Hello, I am Johanah and I am currently a year 1 student majoring in Environmental Studies (Biology) in the National University of Singapore. My interest in greenery came about from the ‘mini garden’ that I have at home.

I find these plants to be an essential part of my life as they are important stress relievers to me. Whenever I am anxious, the simple act of looking at them can help me relax and clear my mind. It made me realised that greenery that we see around us, likewise, is able to lift our spirits in one way or another. Sometimes, we could be so used to seeing greenery around such that they have naturally integrated into our everyday lives and we might not take much notice of them. However, I really cannot imagine living in an environment filled with concrete buildings without the greens. Therefore, I wanted to research more about the efforts behind these greens and hopefully be a part of greening movement in the future.

Now that I have shared a bit of myself and my interest, follow me on my blogging journey as we uncover the rewards that greenery has to offer! 🙂

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:

Nparks (2015 January 15). City in a Garden. Retrieved on 15 August 2016 from: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/about-us/city-in-a-garden

Chua, G (2015, January 23). How Singapore Makes Biodiversity an Important Part of Urban Life. Retrieved on 15 August 2016 from: http://citiscope.org/story/2015/how-singapore-makes-biodiversity-important-part-urban-life

 

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