HIGH TECH FARMING

Unit 12

Objectives:• Describe the characteristics of high-tech

farming• Understand the rationale and need

behind its development• Analyze the benefits and cost of

producing crops using high-tech farming methods

• Investigate the state of the agriculture industry here in Singapore

The Dilemma:

Are we able to grow enough food to feed the world?

Two Diffnt Views: Yes:

With better technology, usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, crop yields have increased

E.g. double-cropping of rice is becoming more common

No: With climate change, crop failures are

becoming more frequent Over-cultivation has destroyed many

farmlands and rendered them useless

Rice Yields in the USA

Crop Failures Set to

Increase Under Climate

ChangeLarge-scale crop failures are likely to become more common under

climate change due to an increased frequency of extreme weather

events, a new study shows.

Thai floods may push up global ric

e 

prices

The floods may have resulted in reduction of rice yield fro

m the expected 25

million tons to 19 millio

n tons, a drop of nearly 25 percent

America: Drought, hunger and rising food pricesSummer of droughts leaving shrivelled crops dying in the fields. Cost of local produce set to increase.

South Africa, Riots amidst rising cost of FoodWages in South Africa have not kept up with the drastic increase in recent years over the price of food, which has more than doubled since 2006.

The ability of farmers, especially in developing countries, to produce enough food to feed themselves AND the rest of the world is becoming more difficult.

Food for thought:• Concerns in Singapore:

• Extremely reliant on overseas imports for survival• Cost of food is increasing• Higher demand for better quality products

• But land constraints, how can we grow enough food to feed our growing population?

Quick Check:

What do you know about farming in Singapore?

HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IN SINGAPORE

1960s• Many Singaporeans were involved in

agricultural activities.

• There were some 20,000 farms then occupying more than 140 km2

(approx ¼ of Singapore) of land!

• Most farms were small, traditional and subsistence in nature.

1970s • Government wanted to move away from agriculture and began buying out land and re-settling the farmers.

• Larger commercial farms replaced the subsistence type farms.

• But pig farming was still very active, especially in Punggol

1980s• Rapid increase in

population = urgent need for land to build more houses and industries

• Drastic decline in agriculture as fewer generations wanted to carry on the family trade.

• To maintain a degree of self-sufficiency while maximising land productivity, the govt. began to convert farmlands into Agrotechnology Parks.

AGROTECHNOLOGY PARKS

Basic Facts• There are SIX Agrotechnology Parks in

Singapore. They are located at• Lim Chu Kang,• Murai,• Sungei Tengah,• Nee Soon,• Mandai and• Loyang.

• These parks occupy a total land area of 14.65 km2 (approx 2% of Singapore)

Agrotech Parks / High-Tech Farming:

• A knowledge-based agricultural system

• makes use of computer technology and automation to grow and manage the crops

• Found in highly developed countries where land is scarce and expensive

Agrotech Parks in SG

Sunless farming in the Netherlands

Vertical Farming

Soil-less farming• Refers to the use of modern technology

to grow crops without the use of soil!• Two of the most common methods are:

• Hydroponics: a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil

• Aeroponics: the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment

Hydroponics in Japan:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsdJF9I2cnY

Hydroponics in Japan:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsdJF9I2cnY

INTERESTING FOODS BEING GROWNMany high tech farms often join ventures with research labs to come up with better foods

Broccolini:

If you could create your own

hybrid food, what you create?

See Super Cow videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmkj5gq1cQU

Human Benefits of HT Farming

• More productive, higher yielding farms

= because land area is maximized via vertical farming, resulting higher outputs of crops per unit area

• Produces better quality products

= crops are usually enhanced to be more nutritious and resistant to pests

Wild Corn

GMO Corn

GMO Banana

Wild Banana

Human Benefits of HT Farming

• Crops can be grown all year round in specially designed, climate-controlled buildings

• Helps to increase our self-sufficiency by reducing reliance on imports especially in times of emergency

• Lower costs for consumers as the farms are located nearer to markets which helps to cut down on the transportation costs

Oh Chin Huat produces over 300 kilogrammes of vegetables daily to local markets across the island. 

Environmental Benefits• Less land and water resources are needed

= crops are grown vertically in neatly stacked

troughs and nutrients are sprayed directly

onto the roots

• No worries about soil or water contamination

= because no soil is needed and crops have

minimal contact with the ground

Environmental Benefits• Less air pollution

= as farms are located nearer to the markets, less

fuel is used in transportation and hence, less

carbon footprint generated

• Minimal wastage or overproduction

= Crops are only produced according to demands

Food for thought:• Given the benefits, why don’t more less

developed countries set up high tech farms then?

Downside of HT Farming Very capital-intensive:

cost of each farm can cost up to $15 million, depending on the size

of land and type of crop grown

A lot of money needed to invest in machines and maintence, as

well as to conduct research and development of new crops

Requires highly specialized labour:

Shortage of trained workers in many countries

Need to set up more specialized educational courses which requires

more investments

Competition from cheaper imports:

In particular, goods from China and Malaysia are still high in

demand here in Singapore

Summary and Recap:• Describe what is high tech farming.• Why do countries like Singapore choose

to invest in such farms?• What are the potential benefits to

consumers of such farms?• What are the potential benefits to the

environment of such farms?• Why don’t LDCs invest in such farms?

Shifting Cultivation Wet Rice Farming High Tech Farming

Mostly subsistence in nature

Both subsistence and commercial

Solely commercial in nature

Developing countriesBoth developing and developed countries

Mostly developed countries

Mostly practiced in the hilly forests of Southeast Asia

and South America

Can only be done in places that receive a lot of rain and

high temperatures

Crops can grow all year round in specially built,

climate-controlled buildings

High manual labour High manual labour Low manual labour

Soil is fertilized from the ashes of burnt trees

Soils must be clayey and able to retain water

Crops can be grown without soil (e.g. aeroponics and

hydroponics)

Low technologyLow to medium usage of

technologyVery high usage of

technology

Low monetary inputsModerate amount of

monetary inputVery high monetary input

Increasingly higher environmental impact

Moderate environmental impact

Low environmental impact