Channel News Asia's Feature – materials innovation for sustainability and urban farming
We are excited to announce the feature of our teams and research at the NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering in Growing Wild, a documentary series by Channel News Asia. This special segment showcases two of our research projects to push the boundaries of sustainability and urban farming.
You can watch our segment starting from the 40-minute mark: Watch here
Floating Farms: A Vision for Climate-Resilient Urban Agriculture
Can Singapore adapt to rising sea levels by growing food on or within water? What if our coastlines were not just barriers to protect, but also living, productive spaces that nourished our communities? These are not speculative questions, but active research directions explored in “Floating Farms”, a documentary that delves into how nations like Singapore can reimagine food resilience in the face of climate uncertainty.
With the threat of sea levels rising by up to one metre by 2100, as much as 20% of Singapore’s land could be at risk of flooding. At the same time, Singapore has committed to meeting 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030 under the "30 by 30" food security goal.
Floating farms represent a bold solution: modular agricultural platforms that float on water, resist saline intrusion, and grow crops without soil. But to make this vision a viable reality, we need materials innovation too. At the heart of these floating ecosystems are materials that enable growth in hostile environments. Research at NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is already contributing to this vision, and two such technologies are featured in the documentary.
Repurposing Human Hair or Chicken Feather for Sustainable Urban Farming
Human hair and chicken feathers, often discarded as waste, have been transformed into a valuable resource for growing crops by Prof Ng Kee Woei and team, addressing the growing challenges of urban food security. By repurposing these discarded materials, a growth medium is developed to promote urban farming sustainably. This research exemplifies the potential of materials science and circular economy principles to replace the synthetic plastics currently used to germinate seeds and create impactful solutions for waste management in urban areas.
Advanced Formulation to Maintain Yield and Harvest from Less Arable, Dry Soil
The second application featured was the RetenSol-G formulation by Prof Lam Yeng Ming and her team. Made from plant waste, this formulation helps improve soil penetration, wettability, water retention and release when soil moisture is low. This research exemplifies how materials science can drive innovation in urban farming. RetenSol-G is specifically designed for structural stability and environmental adaptability, making it a possible solution for floating farms to mitigate the effects of climate change on food production.
To learn more about our RetenSol-G technology, visit: RetenSol-G Research
To learn more about our RetenSol-G technology, visit: RetenSol-G Research
A Collaborative Vision for Sustainable Urban Food Systems
Both technologies embody the intersection of materials science, sustainability, and innovation. By tackling the intertwined challenges of waste management and food security, we can contribute to creating of more resilient urban systems. These innovations testify to the power of collaboration and interdisciplinary research at NTU MSE.
Both technologies embody the intersection of materials science, sustainability, and innovation. By tackling the intertwined challenges of waste management and food security, we can contribute to creating of more resilient urban systems. These innovations testify to the power of collaboration and interdisciplinary research at NTU MSE.
Catch the floating farm project come to life: Floating Farm Ahoy!
