With regards to high-tech farming, there are two camps in Singapore’s agriculture scene. After depending on soil-based farming, one side views high-tech farming methods with skepticism, while the other farm operators who embrace technology, argued that it also meant the possible entry of high-productivity farms.
A technology advocate is Eden Garden Farm Chief Executive Officer Desmond Khoo, 30. Mr Khoo mentioned in an interview that with automation, he can save up to 30 per cent in manpower costs – a number he predicts which can be achieved based on a recent testbed at his farm.
Farmers can tap the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority’s (AVA’s) Agriculture Productivity Fund, which has set aside $63 million for them to invest in innovation and pay for high-tech, automated equipment. Mr Khoo said that as 30 per cent of funds is disbursed upfront when projects are approved, this would help most farmers cope with the initial costs.
AVA reported that since the launch of the Fund in 2014, there have been around 100 applications and about $7 million has been committed to farmers.
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Source: The Straits Times, 12 May 2017