Supply chain disruptions resulting from COVID-19 have had adverse effects on food security and nutrition in SIDS. The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the various food-related challenges in SIDS - including an overreliance on food imports, vulnerability to external economic shocks, malnutrition, and high rates of diet-related non-communicable diseases. Could improved self-sufficiency play a role in tackling these issues?
Urban and vertical farming is on the rise globally, especially since COVID-19. The phenomenon of cultivating fresh agricultural produce even on limited land — a constraint shared by all SIDS — can help strengthen food security in SIDS by boosting local food production. This is made possible through non-traditional farming techniques such as hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics, along with the use of emerging digital technologies including the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence.
As an example, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is one type of an advance in intensive indoor farming which uses hydroponics and a controlled environment to optimise production. Environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and lighting are monitored using sensors and tightly controlled to deliver yields. By minimising the need for inputs and enabling multiple crop cycles in a season, CEA can result in cost savings of up to 90% compared to traditional farming. However, key challenges in adoption of CEA - and other types of vertical and high-tech farming - include high capital costs and the need for expert knowledge in a variety of disciplines including chemistry, horticulture, and digital technology.
However, not all urban farming is about high-tech. Entrepreneurs in SIDS can innovate and design solutions that fit into local contexts. Innovators in Singapore (itself a SIDS), for example, are experimenting with multiple models of urban agriculture - from rooftop farms, the installation of urban farms into existing buildings, and better greenhouses (including ones in bus stops). The Government of Singapore is driving such initiatives as part of its goal to meet 30% of nutritional needs by 2030 (up from less than 10% in 2019). One interesting example is the Singapore company Archisen, who are shaping vertical farming solutions that could be scaled across other SIDS.
Singapore’s example reaffirms an important part of this puzzle: the need for governments’ stewardship in fostering local urban farming and agri-food tech ecosystems. The Member State Dialogues that took place in the lead up to the landmark Food Systems Summit in 2021 were an important step in developing national pathways towards sustainable food systems. By continuing these dialogues into 2022, working with all stakeholders, and leveraging technology and innovation, SIDS can chart a path for strengthening food security and resilience of their food systems.
Read more in the SIDS Bulletin Special Edition - SIDS in 2022 and Beyond
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