Learn the ABCs of eating sustainably with #ARecipeForChange

First-ever campaign by Temasek's Ecosperity aims to engage the public on reducing the environmental impact of our food

This March, Temasek will shine a spotlight on sustainable food with #ARecipeForChange: A month-long campaign highlighting how our food choices impact the environment. Presented by Temasek’s Ecosperity, the campaign will focus on three key themes – Avoid food waste, Buy local produce and Choose alternative proteins – with the aim of building a more sustainable world through advocacy on food sustainability and local food resilience.

Our food system is inextricably linked to the climate – while it contributes to climate change, climate change also threatens food production and security. The recently unveiled Singapore Green Plan reinforced the key role that our food has in building up the country’s climate resilience¹. To ensure food security and minimise emissions from the transportation of food, Singapore aims to produce 30 per cent of the country’s nutritional needs by 2030, which must be met with an increase in consumer demand. Further, Singapore is keen to continue growing the adoption of alternative proteins like plant-based or cultured meat², which can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 10 times as compared to beef-based items³. Food waste impacts the environment too. Singapore’s food waste has grown by around 20 per cent over the last 10 years, putting a strain on resources and landfills⁴. The #ARecipeForChange campaign hopes to get consumers in Singapore to be more aware of and actively reduce the environmental impact of their food consumption habits.

From 1 to 31 March, an Instagram video competition will be held to encourage people to explore ways to incorporate more environmentally friendly ingredients in their cooking. The campaign will also see over 30 F&B partner restaurants across more than 100 participating outlets serving up specially curated dishes with a sustainable twist. #ARecipeForChange’s main week of activities will take place during the school holidays from 13 to 21 March and feature virtual activities including live cooking demonstrations, hands-on workshops and interactive webinars.

“As a generational investor and a trusted steward, we are committed to building a better and more sustainable world. Globally, food is responsible for over a quarter of GHG emissions which contributes to climate change. With COVID-19 disrupting global supply chains and further threatening food security, it is crucial that we accelerate the shift in how we produce and consume our food.”

“All of us – even individuals – have a role to play in creating #ARecipeForChange. There has never been more choice of tasty, affordable meals that are good for us, good for our families and good for the planet. We can choose a better future one plateful at a time. It is time for a sustainable food revolution,” said Dr Steve Howard, Chief Sustainability Officer at Temasek.

“The effects of climate change present increasing risks to the stability of global supply chains. To drive long-term sustainability, SATS has been exploring food trends globally to identify sustainable food products. Tapping on our culinary and technical expertise in food innovation and the extensive sourcing and distribution network of SATS, we will be the catalyst to enrich our ecosystem partners in our collective drive to develop new menu possibilities and sustainable sources of food products to meet growing demand. SATS is pleased to partner Temasek in its #ARecipeForChange campaign through our subsidiary, Country Foods,” added Kerry Mok, CEO, Food Solutions, SATS Ltd.
 

#ARecipeForChange programme highlights

The campaign line-up comprises three key elements: a cooking video competition on Instagram; restaurant collaborations featuring exclusive sustainable dishes; as well as virtual activities spanning live cooking demonstrations, hands-on workshops and interactive webinars:

• Sign up for live cooking demonstrations with renowned guest chefs to learn how to prepare recipes that incorporate local produce, alternative proteins and 'food waste’ into dishes without compromising on flavour. These demonstrations will feature some of the leading names in our F&B scene – such as chefs Eric Neo, Damian Piedrahita and Addis Tan.
  
  To support the discovery of local produce and alternative proteins from the comfort of people’s homes, the campaign’s online supermarket partner RedMart will spotlight these food items in its app for the month of March. Users will enjoy $5 off a minimum spend of $20 for items found on the campaign page. For more details, visit the #ARecipeForChange page on RedMart here.

• Get involved in hands-on workshops designed to inspire participants of all ages to incorporate sustainable food habits into their daily lives. These include workshops for children on decorating plant pots that can be used to grow their own edibles, and a virtual farm tour of Singapore’s first and only rooftop greenhouse that will give participants a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to grow healthy, pesticide-free greens in a controlled environment under natural sunlight, and many more.

• Join interactive webinars hosted by experts to discover new insights on topics related to the campaign’s themes, buying local produce and choosing alternative proteins. These thought-provoking sessions will feature experts from Barramundi Asia, Seng Choon Farm, Shiok Meats and many more, as well as opportunities for participants to pose questions and learn more about different topics around locally produced food, alternative proteins, and food waste.

All virtual activities are free of charge and will be hosted on Facebook Live or video conferencing platforms. Registration is required for activities hosted on video conferencing platforms and available on a first-come-first-served basis. Livestream links for activities hosted on Facebook will be made available on Ecosperity’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ecosperity one week ahead of the respective activity date.

The Instagram cooking video competition will run throughout the month of March. Participants are invited to upload a short video to showcase how they incorporate potential food waste, local produce and alternative proteins in their own homecooked dish, with a chance to win a meal worth $500 at laut, one of the partner restaurants for the campaign.

Exclusive sustainable dishes will also be served up at partner restaurants of #ARecipeForChange from 1 to 31 March. Look forward to local restaurants’ sustainable take on customer favourites and seasonal specials alike – such as Jamie’s Italian’s steak and mash, Encik Tan’s signature curry rice with plant-based schnitzel, Poke Theory’s sambal matah barramundi poke and more.

#ARecipeForChange is organised in partnership with Country Foods, RedMart and Mediacorp, and supported by Centre for a Responsible Future and Singapore Food Agency. To learn more, please visit www.ecosperity.sg/arecipeforchange.
 

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_{¹ Gov.sg, 2021 – Budget 2021: Building a sustainable Singapore: https://www.gov.sg/article/budget-2021-building-a-sustainable-singapore
² Enterprise Singapore, 2020 – Alternative protein a book for food security. What can Spore do to this end?: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/alternative-protein-gains-momentum-despite-challenges-caused-covid-19
³ Science Daily, 2016 – Quantifying the environmental benefits of skipping meat: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160404170427.htm
⁴ National Environment Agency, 2021 – Food Waste Management: https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/3r-programmes-and-resources/food-waste-management}

About Ecosperity

Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Temasek, and Ecosperity is one of our key platforms for engagement and advocacy. The word ‘Ecosperity’ twins ecology with prosperity, reflecting our belief that doing good and doing well can – and must – go together. We work with global leaders from the private and public sectors, academia and civil society to exchange views, share best practices and push the agenda on sustainable development. We believe that governments, businesses, civil societies and individuals must work together to achieve an “abc World” of Active and robust economies, Beautiful and inclusive societies and a Clean and cool Earth.

For more information, visit www.ecosperity.sg or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ecosperity).

About Temasek

Temasek is an investment company with a net portfolio value of S$306 billion (US$214b) as at 31 March 2020. Our Charter roles as an investor, institution and steward shape our investment stance, ethos and philosophy, to do well, do right and do good. We actively seek sustainable solutions to address present and future challenges, as we capture investment and other opportunities that help to bring about a better, smarter and more sustainable world. Headquartered in Singapore, Temasek has 11 offices around the world. For more information, please visit www.temasek.com.sg.

For media queries, please contact:

Celine Koh
Communications Manager (Ecosperity), Temasek
Tel: 6828 2299 / 9753 0547
Email: celine.koh@temasekfoundation.org.sg

Charmaine Chen
Edelman for Ecosperity
Tel: 6494 1582 / 9789 0028
Email: charmaine.chen@edelman.com