Singapore Parliament Debates Food Resilience and Waste Reduction Strategies

The Singapore Food Agency is studying the safety and feasibility of allowing food that has passed quality based date marks, such as best before dates, to be donated. Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Goh Hanyan announced the study on September 9 during a parliamentary debate on a motion to enhance food resilience and reduce food waste. The motion, tabled by four People's Action Party MPs from the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment, was passed without amendments after more than four hours of discussion. The government expects to announce more details regarding the date mark review in 2027 as part of an ongoing review of the Zero Waste Masterplan.

During the debate, MPs proposed several initiatives to tackle food waste, including the creation of community kitchens to prepare meals for low income families and seniors, the redistribution of surplus food from hawker centres, and increased logistical support such as refrigeration for food rescue groups. MP Poh Li San noted that each person in Singapore generates approximately 128kg of food waste annually, and that the country produced 790,000 tonnes of food waste in 2025, representing about 11 percent of total waste.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu addressed the broader strategy for food security, stating that resilience is not about guaranteeing the availability of every preferred product during disruptions. Instead, the goal is to ensure reliable access to essential carbohydrates, proteins, and fibre. Fu highlighted the compounding threats of geopolitical tensions and the El Nino weather phenomenon on global supplies, particularly rice. She explained that Singapore manages these risks by diversifying imports from over 20 sources, stockpiling essential items, and supporting local farms with 240 million dollars since 2019. Fu noted that there are trade offs between availability, assurance, and affordability, as local production or distant imports can increase costs.