Singapore’s food for thought: Official keen on Thai collaboration

In a significant step towards ensuring food security, a high-ranking Singapore official expressed a keen interest in collaboration with Thailand. This landmark meeting promises to reshape the agricultural landscape for both nations.

Permanent Secretary of Singapore’s Ministry of Sustainability and Environment Stanley Loh held talks with Prayoon Insakul, Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Agriculture Ministry, on Tuesday, July 2. The meeting marked a pivotal moment in the pursuit of sustainable food development.

Prayoon revealed that both sides shared their respective policies on sustainable food practices and agreed to collaborate on food security initiatives.

“We exchanged insights on our sustainable food strategies and agreed in principle to work together.”

Loh introduced the Singapore Green Plan 2030, a comprehensive national agenda aimed at fostering sustainability through the development of green areas. In return, Prayoon presented Thailand’s BCG (bio, circular, and green) model policy, designed to boost agricultural efficiency, standards, and income.

Eager to formalise this cooperation, Loh proposed several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between the two nations.

Prayoon explained that Loh is particularly interested in signing an MOU that would enable Singaporean officials to visit Thailand to study seabass farming and another MOU focused on exchanging knowledge about developing a carbon credit system.

The agriculture ministry secretary emphasised that Thailand’s diverse agricultural products could significantly bolster Singapore’s food security measures.

The economic ties between Singapore and Thailand have been robust, with bilateral trade reaching approximately 598 billion baht annually from 2021 to 2023. Thailand imported goods worth around 268 billion baht and exported 329 billion baht worth of products to Singapore during this period, reported The Nation.

In related news, Thailand is gearing up for an agricultural revolution with nine bold policies aimed at transforming its farming sector into a global powerhouse. Thailand’s Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thamanat Prompow, unveiled these game-changing strategies during a seminar geared towards positioning Thailand as a premier destination for agriculture and food.