Title : Nutrient profile comparison of leafy vegetables grown in soil, hydroponics, and organic systems
Abstract:
Food security (the reliable access to safe and nutritious food) is a global issue. In Singapore, limited farmland (under 1%) and a highly urbanized population make food security a major challenge for urban farming initiatives. Urban farming has the potential to transform Singapore’s agri-food industry into one that is highly productive, climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and sustainable. It supports the Singapore Food Agency’s ‘30 by 30’ target of sustainably producing 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs by 2030, thereby reducing reliance on imports. In the recent update, Singapore transitioned from the ‘30 by 30’ initiative to the ‘Singapore Food Story 2’ framework. By 2035, the country aims to locally produce 20% of essential nutrients from fibre (vegetables, bean sprouts, mushrooms) and 30% of proteins (eggs, seafood), emphasizing sustainable, resource-efficient, and scalable farming solutions to enhance resilience.
These updated, more targeted objectives emphasize efficient, scalable, and sustainable local farming practices to strengthen resilience. In efforts to strengthen local food production, Singapore has increased more farms growing indoor/outdoor hydroponic leafy vegetables adopting this technology. However, many consumers perceive soil-grown vegetables having superior taste and healthier compared to those cultivated through hydroponics. A comparative study was conducted to investigate the nutritional value of leafy vegetables cultivated under three different systems: (i) conventional soil-grown, (ii) soil-less hydroponics, and (iii) organic-grown. The nutritional profiles include carbohydrates, protein, fat, and macro- and micro-nutrient content of selected leafy vegetables grown under three different methods. The insights from this project could help considerations for strengthening local food production while optimizing profitability for producers.
