DBS is putting a patch of outdoor space at one of its buildings to use by creating a community farm where employees can grow edible plants and herbs.
Recent calls to strengthen Singapore’s food security networks has seen an uptick in interest in community farming, says the bank.
Its answer is the DBS Food Forest at its Asia Hub building that will be open by the end of the year, sustaining over 50 varieties of food, including sweet potato leaves and watercress, papaya, starfruit and galangal, lemongrass and laksa leaves.
DBS hopes the farm will nurture a new crop of citizen farmers among its employees, supported by experts from social enterprise Edible Garden City.
The building's in-house cafeteria will use the food for freshly-cooked meals for the bank’s employees, cutting transport costs and carbon emissions. Waste will go into an on-site composting system.
Shee Tse Koon, Singapore country head, DBS, says: "Our aim is to spark a virtuous circle, with our employees positively influencing their families and friends, which in turn leads to more edible gardens blooming across the island."