S$10m boost to raise local farm productivity

Today Online 2 Aug 11;

SINGAPORE -The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has launched a second tranche of S$10 million in funding under its Food Fund programme yesterday with an aim to maximise local farm productivity.

Two new categories have been introduced - a Challenge Call for R&D projects to tackle specific challenges faced by the industry; and an Open Call for all other R&D projects to allow new ideas and innovative projects to surface.

Under the Challenge Call, applicants for the funding can submit proposals for R&D projects on topics, such as achieving consistent fish fry production for commonly farmed species.

Applicants can also submit proposals for R&D projects that maximise local farm productivity in any of the three key food items of eggs, fish and leafy vegetables under the Open Call category.

AVA chief executive officer Tan Poh Hong urged companies to take this opportunity and apply for the funds, saying it is the agency's aim to help as many companies as possible to raise their productivity level and enhance food supply resilience for Singapore.

The inaugural launch in December 2009 attracted 48 applications, of which the AVA awarded about S$6 million to 15 projects. Interested companies can visit the AVA's website www.ava.gov.sg for more information. CHANNEL NEWSASIA

AVA launches $10m Food Fund second tranche
Business Times 2 Aug 11;

THE Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) launched a second tranche of $10 million under its Food Fund programme yesterday.

Several changes were introduced to develop farm capability. Apart from continuing to co-fund research and development (R&D) in local food farming technology, AVA introduced two new R&D categories - namely the Challenge Call and the Open Call.

In the former category, applicants have to submit proposals on projects which aim to either develop a cost-effective technology to reduce poultry waste and produce good-quality composts, or to achieve consistent fish fry production for commonly farmed species. In the latter, applicants have to propose projects to maximise farm productivity in any of the three food items of eggs, fish and leafy vegetables.

In addition to continuing to co-fund the use of modern technology in upgrading farm capability, AVA has differentiated the funding of farm capability into three categories: basic farm capability (purchase of basic equipment), advance farm capability (purchase of advance equipment) and technical boosters (trial usage of seeds or fish fry from new sources of better quality.

Launched in December 2009, AVA's Food Fund aims to support farm capability development and food source diversification so as to ensure a resilient supply of food for Singapore.

$30m boost for future food research
Kelly Tay Business Times 4 Aug 11;

AS part of its Competitive Research Programme (CRP) Funding Scheme, the National Research Foundation (NRF) yesterday awarded $30 million in grants to three food research projects. Under the theme 'Meeting Future Food Demands for Singapore', the awardees will receive funding support of up to $10 million per proposal, over three to five years.

The three successful projects will address future food challenges through technology: Seabass that breeds easily and grows twice as fast as the normal variety; rice that is not only disease-resistant but thrives under poor conditions; and fish that is less susceptible to infection, thanks to the development of virus-controlling biotechnologies.

The NRF's decision was based on the recommendation of its International Evaluation Panel (IEP), and was made after a rigorous competitive process. In October, 35 white papers were submitted by Singapore- based researchers. Eleven of these were picked to flesh out full proposals, which were sent for international peer reviews. The IEP then met to choose the final three.

Said IEP member and Nobel Laureate Richard Roberts: 'We believe Singapore can develop long-term solutions to meet the increasing demands on the food eco-system, and contribute to the food security of the region, if not the world.'

Funding boost for fish fry, rice research
Projects to develop bigger fish, superior rice are among three to get total of up to $30m
Jessica Lim Straits Times 4 Aug 11;

SINGAPORE may not grow rice, but a team doing research into superior varieties is among three recipients of funding from the National Research Foundation (NRF).

The other two projects involve developing Asian seabass and tilapia fry that can grow bigger and be more disease-resistant, and the production of virus-resistant fish cells and anti-viral drugs.

A fund of up to $30 million over five years was awarded by the NRF to the three teams yesterday.

The government body will dispense the amount to the teams - one from the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and two from the National University of Singapore.

'We are confident the projects will lead to breakthroughs in food technology,' said NRF spokesman Lee Ren Jie.

'This is especially pertinent at a time when food security is emerging as a pressing concern for Singapore,' he added, noting that the rice project will help cement the country's reputation as a research hub for the grain.

'Given Singapore's reliance on imported rice, it makes sense for us to develop superior strains that will improve the region's rice security as a whole and ultimately benefit Singapore.'

The Republic imports all the rice consumed here from countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, and brings in 90 per cent of all the food eaten here.

The funding could also help Singapore meet its target of raising local production of fish from 4 per cent of domestic demand to 15 per cent.

Biology professor Laszlo Orban from TLL, who does research on reproductive genomics, said the funding will allow his 14-man team to use state-of-the-art technology.

The team, which works closely with experts from the Marine Aquaculture Centre of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, should be able to produce the superior fry in about three years' time.

'These fish fry will grow 25 per cent to 30 per cent bigger in the same period of time. They will also be disease-resistant, so mortality rate will fall,' Prof Orban said.

A company, he added, will be spun off to produce and sell the fry to farmers here and in the region.

Mr Malcolm Ong, chief executive of the Metropolitan Fishery Group, welcomes the two fish-related projects.

'I am dependent on fry from overseas and few survive the trip here. More die when they cannot adjust to the local climate,' said the farmer, who supplies fish to supermarket chain FairPrice. Only about 30 per cent of the fish fry he buys from countries like Indonesia survive.

'If scientists can work to produce better species of fry for sale here that are faster growing, it will definitely help us increase production,' he said.

The two other teams could not be contacted.