Speech by President Halimah Yacob at TCS Sustainathon Finale

Mr Desmond Tan, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment,

Mr. Girish Ramachandran, President of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Asia Pacific,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon. I am happy to join you today at the TCS Sustainathon Finale.

Tomorrow is World Food Day.  The focus of today’s event on combating food waste is therefore a timely one. Combating food waste is one of the targets under the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.

In Singapore, we have identified food waste as a priority waste stream. The amount of food waste generated here has increased by around 20 per cent over the past ten years. Last year, Singapore generated around 744 million kg of food waste, which is equivalent to two bowls of rice per person per day. Food waste makes up about half of the average 1.5kg of waste disposed of by each household in Singapore every day.

Given that we currently import more than 90 per cent of our food supply, a better management of our food wastage can support our strategies in food security and supplement our national goal of “30 by 30”. This is particularly pertinent in light of the disruptions to global food supply due to climate change and trade tensions, which had been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, when we waste food, we are wasting the resources used to grow and deliver the food. We also require extra resources to dispose of the food waste. All this translates to a higher carbon footprint, which can be avoided.

It is therefore important to look at how we can adopt a whole-of-nation approach to address our food waste challenges.  Let me share a few ways to do this. Firstly, we can start by buying, ordering and cooking only what we can finish. Nip the issue at the bud by reducing the amount of unnecessary food waste in the first place.  Secondly, we can recycle food waste.  When we have leftovers, we can consider turning them into tasty new dishes for the next meal, instead of throwing them away. If we have excess food that is suitable for consumption, we can also donate or redistribute them to others through organisations such as Food from the Heart and Food Bank Singapore, which I happen to visit just this morning.  Thirdly, we can treat food waste, and convert them into useful by-products such as fertilisers, or even energy. These plans are outlined in the Zero Waste Masterplan released by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment in 2019.

I am heartened that this afternoon’s event by TCS aims to bring this effort to the next level.  Today’s inaugural TCS Sustainathon will showcase how digital technology can be harnessed to combat real-world environmental problems. By leveraging emerging technology like apps, smart sensors, and artificial intelligence, today’s event hopes to help us better manage food waste issues in Singapore.

Today’s event is also significant in how it involves our younger generation.  Youths can play a pivotal role in our effort to build a sustainable future. Today’s event is an opportune platform to raise awareness of societal concerns amongst the future leaders of Singapore, and to encourage the co-creation of solutions through the use of technology.

It is encouraging to know that the Sustainathon Challenge has received over 40 entries from youths, with participation from students as young as 9-year-old. I hope the Sustainathon will be a rewarding experience for all and will motivate everyone to continue pursuing your interest in technology and sustainability.

Let me end by thanking all the corporate and community partners for providing this platform for our youths to gain valuable learning experiences in co-developing creative solutions to manage food waste.

I hope that the TCS Sustainathon can spark off a greater awareness of food waste within the wider community and help deepen the conversation on how Singapore may continue to work towards a sustainable future. Thank you.