Singapore 2016 – Com Crop

roof-top-farm-2An urban roof top farm in Singapore aims to combat the countries low self sufficiency.

-Singapore’s first sustainable urban rooftop farming project.
-Ambition to become 20Ha in size over 20-30 rooftops.
-Supporting food resilience with high tech production methods.

Standing in a lift in a shopping centre isn’t a way you would expect to get to a farm. However, located on a rooftop on orchard road in Singapore is the country’s first sustainable urban farming enterprise, ComCrop. Established in 2011 as a community based agriculture project, and currently covering 8Ha worth of rooftops over several locations, ComCrop Plc aims to expand to cover 20Ha and to produce 3,200 tonnes of fresh leafy greens to supply 3% of the Singapore market.

Hydroponics and aquaponics enables owners Allan Lim and Keith Loh to control the growing conditions in Singapore’s hot, humid climate. Vertical stacking allows them to make as much use of the space they have available, by planting up to ten times the amount of plants in the same area. Furthermore, growing the leafy greens on sponges and clay pellets results in a 10% reduction in water usage compared to soil based systems. ComCrop practices organic production methods, spraying enzymes instead of pesticides, and using chilis to deter other pests.

Amelia Rome