The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recently created a response and recovery programme to prevent a global food emergency amid the Covid-19 pandemic. This is only one among many telltale signs of society heading towards riskier and potentially more turbulent times, as far as food security is concerned.

Even China, despite its large population, is making a U-turn in its food policy by focusing on domestic self-sufficiency. Unlike China, Singapore lacks land and cannot simply raise domestic output to attain food self-sufficiency. But that does not necessarily mean it is without options.