DPM Heng Swee Keat opens a new center aimed at revolutionizing food technology and enhancing food security in Singapore and Asia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat officially opened the Nurasa Food Tech Innovation Centre on April 24, 2024. This significant event took place in the presence of notable figures including Mr. Pradeep Pant, Chairman of Nurasa; Ms. Guo Xiu Ling, CEO of Nurasa; and Mr. Frederick Chew, CEO of A*STAR.
The new centre, established by Temasek in 2021, focuses on transforming food systems to make them more sustainable, accessible, and innovative. During his speech, DPM Heng emphasized the crucial role of partnerships and innovation in achieving these goals, celebrating the center as a key milestone in both Nurasa’s journey and Singapore’s broader food journey.
Addressing the challenges of food security, DPM Heng highlighted the Malthusian theory’s outdatedness and pointed out the continuous need for advanced food solutions given the growing global population and environmental challenges. He underscored the urgency of enhancing food resilience and the role of innovation in reaching Singapore’s ambitious “30 by 30” goal, which aims to locally produce 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs by 2030.
DPM Heng praised the collaborative efforts of A*STAR and Enterprise Singapore, which have been pivotal in pushing for R&D solutions that elevate the food manufacturing sector. The Nurasa Food Tech Innovation Centre, with its focus on future foods like alternative proteins, is set to scale food production while addressing sustainability and nutritional enhancements.
Concluding his speech, DPM Heng stressed the importance of reducing the costs of innovation, developing talent in food technology, and extending Singapore’s food innovation to meet regional and global needs. He expressed optimism about the role of the new centre in fostering significant advancements in food technology that will benefit not just Singapore but also the wider Asian region.
Source – PMO
