Bring the farm home

Bring the farm home

Grow and harvest your own veggies and herbs at home with this eco-friendly indoor “farm”.

TEXT Michelle Wong

Singapore is heavily reliant on the world for its food needs. In fact, more than 90 per cent of our food is imported. But, what if something were to happen to our food supply? What the Covid pandemic has shown is that we can’t afford to take food security for granted.

Singapore aims to meet 30 per cent of its nutritional needs through locally produced food by 2030, and the Indoor Smart Eco Farm, now retailed at Gain City, was created to help with this goal. Measuring 1.7m in height, 77cm in length and 44cm in width, this mini-farm can produce up to 50kg of vegetables per year, without the use of pesticides, herbicides or sunlight, and while occupying a space of just 0.3 square metres.

Urban farming in your living space

The system uses a hydroponic growing technique, where a small, shallow stream of nutrient-rich water is recirculated over the roots through a channel, gutter or tube that requires a pump. This helps the vegetables thrive and gives new seeds full access to water. When the circulation phase ends, the solution flows back to the reservoir, creating moist but breathable conditions for seed germination and root formation. The system was specially designed to prevent mosquito and insect breeding. This eco-friendly farm can be placed anywhere – in your kitchen, by your dining table and even in the office – so you can pick your own fresh vegetables anytime. Being able to harvest the exact amount you need, when you need it, reduces food waste and saves you a trip to the market. It also eliminates the likelihood of nutrient loss and packaging damage – two problems associated with food that had to travel some way to get to you. It’s as local as it gets.