The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Japfa Pte. Ltd. (JAPFA), a leading integrated agri-food company in Asia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore and develop a strategic R&D partnership to advance tropical aquaculture. Under the MOU, SFA and JAPFA will jointly pursue practical solutions in aquatic health and digitalisation to address key industry challenges.
2 The partnership will initially focus on two areas critical to improving farm resilience and productivity, namely: aquatic health and disease management, and digital technologies. Potential areas of collaboration include AI-enabled disease monitoring and diagnostics, and AI-enabled farm decision making, and traceability.
3 SFA and JAPFA will explore how Singapore’s research capabilities can complement the commercial, operational and digital expertise of JAPFA and its aquaculture business, PT Suri Tani Pemuka (STP). With more than 50 years of experience in producing protein across Asia, from livestock to aquaculture, JAPFA brings a deep understanding of tropical farming. This partnership also presents opportunities for Singapore’s research institutions, technology providers and industry partners to co-develop solutions that enable earlier detection of disease and environmental risks and improve farm management.
4 Mr Damian Chan, Chief Executive Officer of SFA, said: “The value of R&D lies in translating scientific innovation into practical solutions that can address real-world farming needs. By bringing together Singapore’s research capabilities and JAPFA’s operational and technological expertise and scale, we can accelerate the development and adoption of practical solutions in aquatic health, disease management and digital aquaculture.”
5 Ms Gabriella Santosa, Director and Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Shared Services, Japfa Pte Ltd said: “Advances in aquaculture work best when research and production go hand in hand, grounded in a clear understanding of what happens on the farm. Producing food efficiently, sustainably and at scale in our region requires approaches developed and refined under local conditions and enabled by the latest technologies. We look forward to working with SFA and Singapore’s research community to explore solutions that deliver real impact.”
6 Through the MOU, SFA and JAPFA aim to strengthen the linkages between research and industry and accelerate the development of practical solutions that can be adopted and scaled in commercial farming. Beyond advancing Singapore’s capabilities in tropical aquaculture, this partnership can also serve as a platform for developing innovations that can help address shared aquaculture challenges across the region and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable regional food system.
