In this episode, Rachel Wong shares her journey starting and writing about agriculture and the food system at Cong and Co. Growing up with her grandmother who cooks sparked her curiosity towards how food is prepared and the broader socio-economic forces that shape and determine the food we choose to put on our plates, as well as what is considered palatable. 

Rachel also discusses the Western-centrism of vegetarian diets and breaks down why agro-biodiversity is important to a sustainable food system. Reflecting on how high-yield crops have come to replace much of our traditional and native varieties, she reflects on how it has influenced how and what we farm, and its associations with notions of modernity and progress.

Resources and further reading

1. Cong and Co - https://congand.co/

2. LepakinSG - https://www.instagram.com/lepakinsg/

3. Pamelia Chia - https://pameliachia.com/

4. The Near-Death of the Cavendish Banana - https://time.com/5730790/banana-panama-disease/

5. Towards Singapore’s Food Future: 30 by 30 - https://www.ourfoodfuture.gov.sg/30by30/