Achieving nationwide food security is a crucial problem for Singapore. Boosting native food manufacturing stands as an essential pillar of the nation’s technique to improve resilience and meet self-sufficiency targets. To immediately assist this significant effort, NUS researchers are deploying deep capabilities in areas resembling organic sciences and superior food applied sciences to assist build a self-sustaining food provide for the nation.
Speaking on the 4th Global Agri-Food Scientific Symposium held on 5 November 2025 as a part of the Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW), Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, underscored the strategic significance of science and know-how in food resilience.
“Singapore imports more than 90 per cent of our food, leaving us vulnerable to external shocks and supply disruptions. Given this reality, we must ensure a reliable supply of safe food for Singapore,” he stated, noting that Singapore tackles food security by way of a complete, multi-pronged technique that integrates diversifying import sources, boosting native manufacturing, strategic stockpiling, and leveraging world partnerships.
Mr Zaqy added, “As a small country with limited space and resources, the challenge for local food production is in the productivity and costs of local food production. Hence, to enable the industry to be more productive and market competitive, Singapore needs to harness science and technology to develop cutting-edge solutions.”
During SIAW, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) introduced S$82.5 million in funding to bolster native food analysis, with NUS researchers main a good portion of the awarded tasks.
Accelerating innovation in future meals and food security
On 4 November 2025, SFA introduced S$42 million in funding to assist 11 future meals and food safety-related tasks. Researchers from NUS are main 5 of those tasks and are contributing to three different tasks as collaborators. These tasks concentrate on two crucial areas: in search of modern options to increase the vitamin and performance of different protein merchandise, and supporting the event of novel animal-free strategies for toxicology testing of recent food merchandise.
Future meals and food security analysis tasks led by NUS:
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DIGEST: Developing Innovative Gastrointestinal Efficiency and Smart Technologies
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Enhancing the Flavour, Nutritional and Functional Properties of Microalgae Biomass/Proteins for Scaled-Up Food Applications
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A Robust Human Liver-Heart Microphysiological System for Safety Assessment of Cultivated Cells
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Evaluating the Allergenicity and Immunotoxicity of Precision Fermentation Proteins by Investigating Covalent Modifications and Advancing NAMs for Risk Assessment
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NextGen toxicokinetic and security platform for the analysis of small-molecule components in cultivated meat
NUS researchers are contributing their experience to the next tasks:
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Alternative Lipids: Precision fermentation-based manufacturing of Omega-3 PUFA-enriched phospholipids for Alternative Proteins
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DiPLOTOX: Developing an built-in human iPSC-derived Liver Organoid and gut-on-a-chip platform for security evaluation of food TOXicants
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Developmental neurotoxicity evaluation platform for analysis of food security dangers posed by contaminants from cell-based and fermented derived meals
SFA additionally awarded further funding to the Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability (PreFerS) to develop environment friendly and sustainable manufacturing of high-value components, resembling wholesome lipids and practical proteins. PreFerS was collectively established in 2024 by NUS and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with assist from the National Research Foundation Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE).
Boosting seed innovation and aquaculture analysis
Separately, SFA introduced on 5 November 2025 a dedication of S$40.5 million to increase seed innovation and aquaculture, and to speed up productiveness positive factors and value reductions for native farms. The funding was awarded to two vital NUS-led programmes — the Seed Innovation Hub (SIH) and AquaPolis R&D Programme — which purpose to ship scalable, cost-effective manufacturing strategies and set up a extra vibrant agri-food ecosystem.
SIH has been awarded S$22 million to advance Singapore’s breeding methods and develop greater high quality seeds with enhanced traits resembling improved development, yield, and dietary worth, particularly tailor-made for tropical climates and managed atmosphere agriculture. NUS scientists, who will probably be working carefully with native establishments and trade companions, will increase past conventional crops like Choy Sum and Kale to embody higher-value fruited crops resembling capsicum, brinjal, and cucumber, in addition to speciality greens resembling arugula and amaranth.
The AquaPolis R&D Programme — co-led by NUS and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory — has obtained a funding of S$18.5 million to decrease manufacturing prices and enhance the standard and dietary worth of domestically produced Asian seabass by way of a holistic method that comes with breeding, vitamin, illness administration, and superior feeding methods. The Programme will leverage multidisciplinary experience from eight main analysis establishments and 19 key trade collaborators to drive innovation in Singapore’s aquaculture ecosystem.
Translating agri-food analysis into real-world influence
Working carefully with native and worldwide companions — together with analysis institutes, authorities companies, and trade leaders — NUS goals to translate high-impact analysis into real-world purposes. This effort will ship sensible, scalable options for farmers, producers, and customers in Singapore and past.
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