3 ways Singapore's urban farms are improving food security

Apr 7, 2021

Organic vegetables are seen on growing towers that are primarily made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes at Citiponics' urban farm on the rooftop of a multi-storey carpark in a public housing estate in western Singapore April 17, 2018. Picture taken April 17, 2018.

Urban farming is an excellent way to use space for agriculture. Image: Reuters/Loriene Perera

Clarisa Diaz

Multimedia reporter, Quartz Things team

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There are 109 coastal farms in Singapore. Image: Singapore Food Agency

Current urban farms in Singapore. Image: Singapore Public Data

Views of the carpark where Citiponics is located from the ground and rooftop.

Citiponics is located on top of a carpark on Ang Mo Kio Image: Quartz, Google Street View, Citiponics

Urban farms using hydroponics on parking structure roofs.

The Citiponics vertical rooftop system yields up to 4 times more than conventional farming. Image: Citiponics

Installing urban farms into existing buildings

Outside and inside the building where Sustenir’s indoor vertical farm is located. Image: Quartz, Google Street View, Sustenir Agriculture

Sustenir Agriculture sells its produce at 30% the cost of comparable imports. Image: Sustenir Agriculture/Clarisa Diaz

Building a better greenhouse for urban farms in tropical climates.

Natsuki’s Garden in the former schoolyard, now filled with greenhouses. Image: Courtesy Ben Ang, Natsuki’s Garden

Natsuki’s Garden is a greenhouse in the center of the city, occupying reused space in a former schoolyard. Image: Clarisa Diaz, Ben Ang, Natsuki’s Garden

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