Reducing Food Miles: The Environmental Cost of Our Meals

When you pick up fresh produce from the grocery store, do you ever wonder how far it travelled to get there? These distances, known as ‘food miles,’ have a significant impact on our carbon footprint, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Research published by Nature reveals that global “food miles” emissions are even higher than previously estimated—accounting for nearly one-fifth of all food-system emissions. In Singapore, this is particularly significant as over 90% of the nation’s food is imported, meaning most of what we consume has travelled thousands of kilometres before reaching our kitchens.

As awareness of this environmental cost grows, both consumers and agribusinesses are seeking ways to minimise food miles. Urban farming is emerging as a promising solution to this challenge, offering local, sustainable alternatives that reduce transportation emissions that reduce transportation emissions while providing fresher, healthier produce.

What Are Food Miles and Why Do They Matter?

Food miles refer to the distance food travels from its point of production to where it’s consumed. The farther food travels, the more greenhouse gas emissions are generated from transportation, contributing to climate change and air pollution. Reducing food miles helps lower the environmental impact of food production by cutting down transportation emissions, making local and sustainable food options an essential part of the solution.

The Environmental Impact of Imported Food

In Singapore, where local food production is limited due to land constraints, most of our food is sourced from overseas. Supermarkets stock produce from countries like China, the United States, and Australia, which ensures variety all year-round but comes with a considerable environmental cost.

Additionally, imported food requires packaging, often single-use plastics, to protect it during transportation, and preservatives to extend shelf life. Although these imported foods might look fresh, their journey from farm to plate tells a different story—one that includes increased carbon emissions, plastic waste, and potentially fewer nutrients.

Inefficiencies in the Food Supply Chain

The hard truth is that our current food supply chain is filled with inefficiencies that exacerbate this issue, including:

• Losses during transportation: Mishandling, shipping delays, and poor storage conditions can result in substantial food waste.
• Inconsistent supply chains: Weather events or geopolitical tensions can disrupt supply, causing shortages or surpluses that lead to waste.
• Shortened shelf life: Extended transportation times reduce shelf life, leading to quicker spoilage.

How Urban Farming Helps Reduce Food Miles

Urban farming offers a practical solution by bringing food production closer to consumers. Unlike traditional farms located far from urban centres, urban farms operate within cities. This proximity reduces the need for long-distance transportation, cutting emissions and delivering fresher produce.

• Location Advantage
  Urban farms make use of city spaces, turning rooftops, vacant lots, and even walls into green urban spaces while growing fresh produce. This allows food to be produced right where it’s consumed, reducing the need for long transportation and carbon footprint.
• Direct-to-Consumer Distribution
  Urban farms often operate on a direct-to-consumer model, delivering produce straight to local markets or directly to consumers. Fresh herbs grown in vertical gardens, for example, can move from harvest to plate within a day, ensuring maximum freshness while avoiding the complex logistics involved in traditional food distribution.
• Efficient Distribution
  In cities like Singapore, where space is limited but demand is high, urban farming allows for efficient local distribution. By growing food near where people live and work, urban farms cut down on the need for refrigeration, packaging, and long-haul transportation.

Additional Benefits of Urban Farming

Reducing food miles through urban farming has numerous benefits, not just for the environment but also for local communities.

• Building Local Resilience and Food Security
  Growing food locally strengthens food security by reducing reliance on imports. In Singapore, where global disruptions can affect food supply chains, having a local source of fresh produce provides a degree of resilience and consistency.
• Community Engagement and Education
  Urban farming encourages community involvement, making sustainability a tangible and accessible concept. By engaging people—whether through community gardens or workshops—they gain a greater appreciation for locally grown food.