What are the economic arguments for reallocating farmland to defence?

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Farmland is being shifted to defence because land is scarce and defence is seen as a higher-value use.

The economic case is that Singapore has less than one per cent of its land, or under 10 square kilometres, in agriculture and farms, while defence already uses a considerable share of the country’s limited land. In that setting, the government view is that open, traditional farming is not productive enough to justify valuable land, especially when industries and defence are said to generate money and security.
Land scarcity makes opportunity cost central to the decision

With a land-scarce city-state, every square kilometre has an opportunity cost. The choice is not simply between a farm and a training ground; it is between one use that produces limited output and another that supports military readiness and wider economic activity.
Defence is treated as a stronger return on limited land

The case for defence is built on the idea that land should go to uses that deliver both security and economic value. The military is described as vital, and Singapore’s force is said to be strong enough to outmatch any regional force, which makes training land a strategic asset rather than idle space.
Food production is expected to come from higher-yield systems

The argument does not assume Singapore must give up food production entirely. Instead, it points to intensive high-tech agriculture, including multi-storey production centres using hydroponics, advanced lighting and robotics, as the way to produce more food from less land.
Buying food is part of the same economic logic

If Singapore has money and security, it can import food and invest in controlled-environment farming. That reflects a broader cost-benefit view: land is reserved for defence and industry, while food supply is supported through trade and higher-productivity facilities rather than low-yield open farms.

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What are the economic arguments for reallocating farmland to defence?

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