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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