New $70m agri-food fund to accelerate industry-wide tech adoption

The new grant co-funds collaborations for industry-wide solutions.

The government will provide $70m in funding to the agri-food industry from April 2026 under the second tranche of the Agri-Food Cluster Transformation Fund, said Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment.

The five-year programme supports technology adoption and the development of local agricultural capacity, marking the largest industry scheme for the sector to date.

A new Industry Partnerships for Capability Transformation Grant will co-fund collaborations between farms and ecosystem players to create industry-wide solutions.

Potential projects include integrated delivery systems to reduce transportation costs and improve product freshness, Mohamad added.

The allocation forms part of the Singapore Food Story 2 strategy, which relies on four pillars: Diversify Imports, Grow Local, Stockpile, and Global Partnerships. The government is prioritising staples such as rice, proteins, and vegetables.

In aquaculture, funding will support demonstration projects for sea-based and land-based farms, including automated vaccination for fingerlings, he said.

The National Broodstock Centre will expand breeding to include Red Snapper, whilst the Integrated Hatchery Support Programme will facilitate trials of specialised feeds and vaccines.

The Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation will expand demand aggregation, matching farm production with market needs through brands including The Straits Fish and SG Farmers’ Market.

New product varieties and ready-to-eat items will be introduced to increase market penetration, he added.

The Singapore Food Agency is upgrading early warning systems, with a risk monitoring dashboard and food supply visibility tool providing data on developments affecting imports.

For aquaculture, an upgraded Harmful Algal Bloom Prediction Model will integrate weather forecasts to alert farms to environmental risks.