Singapore food story: Present

Breaking new ground in farming

Founders of urban farm aim to spread rooftop greenhouse concept to buildings islandwide

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Social enterprise Comcrop uses "marginalised land", which is land traditionally not used for farming, for commercial farming. Its co-owners started Singapore's first rooftop farm at *Scape Orchard in 2014.
Comcrop founders Allan Lim (left) and Peter Barber at their rooftop greenhouse on a Woodlands industrial building, where they grow a variety of lettuce as well as Asian greens such as chye sim and pak choy.
Comcrop founders Allan Lim (left) and Peter Barber at their rooftop greenhouse on a Woodlands industrial building, where they grow a variety of lettuce as well as Asian greens such as chye sim and pak choy. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
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Once a dreary-looking rooftop carpark on a Woodlands industrial building, it is now a verdant oasis that yields 1,000 fresh vegetable plants daily, for a start.

The men behind the eight-month-old, 800 sq m greenhouse, Comcrop partners Allan Lim and Peter Barber, have ambitious plans to extend the rooftop greenhouse concept to buildings islandwide.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on May 12, 2019, with the headline Breaking new ground in farming. Subscribe