STOCKPILING INVOLVES PARTNERSHIPS
Apart from YCH, the government works "very closely" with the industry to ensure sufficient supply, safe access to and quality management of stockpiled items.
The aim is to evolve the stockpiling strategy to cover today's needs and look out for potential threats or destruction that may come ahead, said Mr Zaqy.
He then noted how such threats can come in various forms, such as climate change affecting agriculture, pandemics and geopolitical issues that can affect supply chains.
Beyond stockpiling, growing local and having food production in Singapore is also part of the country's food resilience strategy, Mr Zaqy added.
It is also important to ensure Singapore has a diversified and varied list of providers and suppliers from around the world in terms of cost and supply.
This was where global partnerships come in, to access markets rather than just importing from one source.
Earlier this month, Singapore and New Zealand made a "first-of-its-kind" agreement to trade essential goods in times of crisis.
The agreement provides reassurance that both sides can continue to receive essential supplies during supply chain disruptions.
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