Speech at Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore's 10th Anniversary Charity Night

Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Manpower, Island Ballroom, Shangri-La Hotel

My Parliamentary colleague, Dr Mohamad Maliki,

Parliamentary Secretary for National Development,

AVA Chairman, Mr Koh Soo Keong,

AVA CEO, Ms Tan Poh Hong,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Good evening. It is my pleasure to attend the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority's (AVA) 10th Anniversary Charity Night.

Playing a part in Singapore's progress

2. When I think of AVA, I think of food, animals and plants and how my impression of these things has changed over the years.
3. In the 1960s, families would stay in kampongs, rearing a few chickens in their backyards and growing some local vegetables and fruits for food. Young boys would catch fish from the nearby "longkang", while scrawny dogs would roam and feed on food scraps that the neighbourhood children give them.
4. Singapore has come a long way since then. The backyard farms have since been replaced by farms using high-tech intensive farming methods, and Singapore has grown an industry of modern food processing facilities that can compete in the international market. We are also one of the largest exporters of ornamental fish and orchids in the world.
5. Such progress would not have been possible without the hard work of AVA and its predecessor, the Primary Production Department.
6. Since its inception in 2000, AVA has built up a brand name that is synonymous with safe food supply. Many people have told me that if AVA says it is safe to eat, it is safe. AVA has also successfully kept Singapore free of animal and plant diseases. Over the last 10 years, AVA has built a strong foundation of world-class food safety systems, and animal and plant health programmes.

The Changing World

7. As AVA moves into a new decade, its work will get more difficult. This is because the world is changing rapidly, bringing with it many new challenges for Singapore.
8. In the past, we used to say that the world beyond Singapore is a big place. But now, we see the world getting smaller. Globalisation, efficient transport links as well as advances in telecommunication and the internet have shrunk distances and brought the world closer. Shipments nowadays travel to and from multiple locations and change hands several times along the way. Unhygienic food production in a distant country can reach our shores easily, bringing unsafe food into Singapore. Global issues, such as climate change, food insecurity, disease pandemic, and loss of biodiversity know no boundaries.
9. In such an interconnected world, Singapore is at risk of being impacted by developments in any part of the world. For instance in 2008, an unprecedented global situation of high food inflation and supply crunch in staple food items like rice and grains spread quickly and affected other food produce. There was anxiety, and even panic in some food importing countries, as several producer countries began imposing export bans or quotas. Singapore was not spared as we import most of our food supply.
10. Another example is the volcanic ash which clouded over Europe recently. Food from Europe could not be flown to Singapore. Fortunately, these were niche products, like specialty meat and cheeses, so the impact on Singapore was small. Also, because of AVA's source diversification strategy, our importers were able to source for alternatives suppliers from non-affected countries.
11. With the world getting smaller, there are also opportunities for Singapore. The challenge is for us to seize these opportunities. For instance, there are new farming technologies that can significantly improve farming productivity. How can we tap into such technological advances to reap rewards for local and regional food production? With the expansion in global trade, how can AVA play an effective role in international standard setting and ensure that our exports such as ornamental fish, orchids and food can be made readily accessible to the world market?

    The Way Forward

12. To stay ahead of the game, AVA must be forward thinking. It should constantly scan the horizon, assess and understand the new strategic landscape, and develop new capabilities for the future. The industry too, must do its part to innovate by riding on the new technologies to improve productivity and effectiveness.
13. Just a couple of weeks ago, there was an article in the New York Times titled "Innovating in a flat world". It talked about a small company where the principles came from different countries, were trained in different disciplines and brought with them different insights. Through seizing of opportunities and collaborative synergy, they were able to help the company take off.
14. AVA too can make the world flatter by fostering greater collaboration with the industry to address problems and explore new ways of doing things.
15. I am glad to hear from Poh Hong's speech, that over the last year, both AVA and the industry have stepped up their efforts to work closer together. Only through collaboration can we progress.
16. Even though its work is getting more daunting, AVA has not shied away from its challenges. I understand that AVA has rolled out a new vision on 1 April 2010 as part of its move to position itself for the future. AVA is now aiming higher, with a new vision to be an authority that is respected and trusted, not just in Singapore, but also globally. That means, benchmarking itself against the best in the world.

Conclusion

17. You have done well in developing your programmes and expertise in food safety, animal and plant health. I am confident that by building upon this foundation, and working more closely with the industry, AVA will be able to realizing your vision and be ready for the future. Happy 10th Anniversary!
18. I wish you all a very enjoyable evening.