SINGAPORE’S latest quest to boost productivity is playing out at a busy food court in the second terminal of Changi Airport.

    There, hungry passengers can select their chicken rice or bowl of noodles from a machine, pay with a credit card and collect their food — all with minimal human interaction and in stark contrast with the abundant manpower commonly used in food courts elsewhere on the island.

    It’s this kind of automated initiative that’s popping up more frequently across Singapore — from self-driving taxis to face-reading payment systems for rail commuters — as the city state grapples with a rapidly aging population, falling fertility rates and a slump in economic growth.

    With authorities restricting the inflow of foreign workers after a backlash against immigration, Singapore is increasingly turning to machines to replace low-end manpower.

    “Productivity is a vital component of growth especially for when labor contribution to growth is declining, especially in advanced economies such as Singapore,” said David Mann, chief economist for Asia at Standard Chartered Plc. “Singapore has been trying to be on the cutting edge of applying more automation.”

    Select Group, the Singapore-based operator of the Changi food court, is so satisfied with the cost reductions achieved so far, it’s implementing the same system at a site at a new airport terminal due to open next year.

    Singapore’s government is just as satisfied. SPRING Singapore, a state agency responsible for promoting local enterprises and products, is currently conducting trial tenders for two food centers under a new system that seeks to reward productivity gains: while the winning bidder was selected on price under the old system, now the agency will put a 50 percent weighting on productivity considerations and the rest on price.(SD-Agencies)