\n<\/p>\n
Under the Seed Innovation Hub programme, farmers will be supported in growing higher-value crops with broader appeal and commercial viability.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The programme received a S$22 million boost from the authorities to develop superior seeds suited for tropical climates and controlled-environment agriculture, with traits such as faster growth and higher nutritional value.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Professor Chew Fook Tim from the National University of Singapore\u2019s biological sciences department, who is leading the project, said running an indoor farm is costly, and sustainability depends on improving yields and crop value.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This involves developing plants with desirable traits such as better taste and added health benefits that make them more attractive to consumers, he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This could \u201ccreate new markets for our farmers to play with\u201d, so that they can compete differently from others, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to create something new that will be special for Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another S$18.5 million will go to the AquaPolis aquaculture programme to reduce production costs and improve the quality of locally farmed Asian seabass.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This includes breeding parasite-resistant juvenile seabass through selective breeding techniques.<\/p>\n
Dr Richard Le Boucher, partnership director at AquaPolis, said local fish farmers face challenges such as securing affordable, high-quality feed and dealing with pathogen-related issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He added that ongoing research aims to improve fish survival rates and enhance quality.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey also face competition against other farms or other countries,\u201d said Dr Le Boucher, who is also a research director at non-profit research organisation Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we try to improve the quality, for example the Omega-3 content of the fillet, by choosing good feed and improving the fish.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n