SINGAPORE: Farming may not be a popular career choice in Singapore, but some young farmers are taking the plunge – despite modest pay, uncertain returns and limited career prospects.
Still, some like 26-year-old Nicholas Lee remain hopeful that the industry is reaching a turning point with automation and technology.
Since his youth, Mr Lee has been fascinated by fish-keeping – a hobby introduced by his father.
“Over time, that hobby grew into a deeper curiosity about how fish are bred and raised on a larger scale,” he said.
Now a senior farm executive at Qian Hu Fish Farm near Choa Chu Kang, Mr Lee specialises in aquaculture operations, focusing on fish health, water quality and sustainable production practices.
With a degree in aquaculture science and technology, he plans to stay in the field for the long haul.
“When I learned more about aquaculture and how important it is to Singapore’s food security, it felt like a meaningful direction to take. I like that it is both hands-on and science-based, where you get to work close to nature while still applying technology and data to improve farming systems,” he said.
“I believe there's still so much room for growth and innovation, and I want to be part of the progress.”
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), which oversees local farms, does not track how many young people have joined the industry.
But as Singapore strengthens its food resilience strategy, the agency said it remains committed to supporting farmers.
For instance, SFA co-developed the Agrifood Sector Skills Framework to help aspiring farmers acquire relevant skills and map out career pathways in the industry.
"I see a future for the farming industry in Singapore,” said Mr Lee. “That's because we can see that the government is actually putting in a lot more effort in upskilling this part of the sector to make us more sustainable."
But the journey has its challenges, especially when it comes to the viability of running a farm.
Nearly five years into his farming journey, Mr Leonard Teo remains uncertain about the future of his business.
Mr Teo, 25, is the founder and resident farmer at Straits Agriculture, a rooftop farm along Upper Jurong Road. He entered the industry in 2021 during the pandemic, when food security was under the spotlight.
Despite having a background in aerospace engineering, he taught himself how to farm through online resources.
Today, Straits Agriculture sells produce such as salad greens and mushrooms online, delivering them fresh to customers every Friday.
Mr Teo said he faces high operating costs but tries to cut expenses by keeping water usage low and avoiding LED lights, industrial fans and air conditioning.
"I don't think we're going to break even anytime soon,” he said.
“Operationally, our cost is still relatively high … But we are still constantly fighting and battling prices from our imports, from outside our borders. There is no way we can beat their prices. We can try to be competitive, but that eats into our revenue as well as our profits."
He plans to continue farming until his lease expires in 2027 and is exploring other locations for his farm.
Limited career prospects have also made it harder to retain young talent in the sector.
Ms Crystal Lim, 29, an assistant project manager at sustainable prawn farm Vertical Oceans, joined the company in 2022.
"When you're joining a farm, when you start out, you're going to start really low. Your pay is not as high as the fresh grads out there,” said Ms Lim, who has a degree in marine sciences.
Ms Crystal Lim, 29, (left) an assistant project manager at sustainable prawn farm Vertical Oceans, believes that better career progression and leadership opportunities would help retain talent.
“Some people, they come into the industry full of passion, but their passion runs out halfway and they see that there's not many things they can do. Then they'll move on to the next industry, which happens to a lot of my friends and classmates."
She said automation and less labour-intensive work could make farming more attractive to younger people, while better career progression and leadership opportunities would help retain talent.
Ms Lim herself rose from an aquaculture technician to her current role, which includes helping to scale up the company’s operations.
“Being able to put all (my) knowledge as a technician into good use … motivates me to keep going,” she said.
Mr Leong Jia Sheng, 25, a senior aquaculture technician, believes that technology can attract more young people into farming.
Her colleague, Mr Leong Jia Sheng, 25, a senior aquaculture technician, also hopes to stay in the sector.
He believes misconceptions have discouraged some from considering farming as a career, and that harnessing technology could help change that perception.
“When it comes to farmers, a lot of people are still thinking old-fashioned farming. We need to improve technologies … and you can attract more young people like us,” he said.
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Still, some like 26-year-old Nicholas Lee remain hopeful that the industry is reaching a turning point with automation and technology.
Since his youth, Mr Lee has been fascinated by fish-keeping – a hobby introduced by his father.
“Over time, that hobby grew into a deeper curiosity about how fish are bred and raised on a larger scale,” he said.
Now a senior farm executive at Qian Hu Fish Farm near Choa Chu Kang, Mr Lee specialises in aquaculture operations, focusing on fish health, water quality and sustainable production practices.
With a degree in aquaculture science and technology, he plans to stay in the field for the long haul.
“When I learned more about aquaculture and how important it is to Singapore’s food security, it felt like a meaningful direction to take. I like that it is both hands-on and science-based, where you get to work close to nature while still applying technology and data to improve farming systems,” he said.
“I believe there's still so much room for growth and innovation, and I want to be part of the progress.”
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), which oversees local farms, does not track how many young people have joined the industry.
But as Singapore strengthens its food resilience strategy, the agency said it remains committed to supporting farmers.
For instance, SFA co-developed the Agrifood Sector Skills Framework to help aspiring farmers acquire relevant skills and map out career pathways in the industry.
"I see a future for the farming industry in Singapore,” said Mr Lee. “That's because we can see that the government is actually putting in a lot more effort in upskilling this part of the sector to make us more sustainable."
Related:
STRUGGLES WITH VIABILITY
But the journey has its challenges, especially when it comes to the viability of running a farm.
Nearly five years into his farming journey, Mr Leonard Teo remains uncertain about the future of his business.
Mr Teo, 25, is the founder and resident farmer at Straits Agriculture, a rooftop farm along Upper Jurong Road. He entered the industry in 2021 during the pandemic, when food security was under the spotlight.
Despite having a background in aerospace engineering, he taught himself how to farm through online resources.
Today, Straits Agriculture sells produce such as salad greens and mushrooms online, delivering them fresh to customers every Friday.
Mr Teo said he faces high operating costs but tries to cut expenses by keeping water usage low and avoiding LED lights, industrial fans and air conditioning.
"I don't think we're going to break even anytime soon,” he said.
“Operationally, our cost is still relatively high … But we are still constantly fighting and battling prices from our imports, from outside our borders. There is no way we can beat their prices. We can try to be competitive, but that eats into our revenue as well as our profits."
He plans to continue farming until his lease expires in 2027 and is exploring other locations for his farm.
Related:
CAREER PROGRESSION AND RETENTION
Limited career prospects have also made it harder to retain young talent in the sector.
Ms Crystal Lim, 29, an assistant project manager at sustainable prawn farm Vertical Oceans, joined the company in 2022.
"When you're joining a farm, when you start out, you're going to start really low. Your pay is not as high as the fresh grads out there,” said Ms Lim, who has a degree in marine sciences.
Ms Crystal Lim, 29, (left) an assistant project manager at sustainable prawn farm Vertical Oceans, believes that better career progression and leadership opportunities would help retain talent.
“Some people, they come into the industry full of passion, but their passion runs out halfway and they see that there's not many things they can do. Then they'll move on to the next industry, which happens to a lot of my friends and classmates."
She said automation and less labour-intensive work could make farming more attractive to younger people, while better career progression and leadership opportunities would help retain talent.
Ms Lim herself rose from an aquaculture technician to her current role, which includes helping to scale up the company’s operations.
“Being able to put all (my) knowledge as a technician into good use … motivates me to keep going,” she said.
Mr Leong Jia Sheng, 25, a senior aquaculture technician, believes that technology can attract more young people into farming.
Her colleague, Mr Leong Jia Sheng, 25, a senior aquaculture technician, also hopes to stay in the sector.
He believes misconceptions have discouraged some from considering farming as a career, and that harnessing technology could help change that perception.
“When it comes to farmers, a lot of people are still thinking old-fashioned farming. We need to improve technologies … and you can attract more young people like us,” he said.
Continue reading...