Maldives has prioritised reducing the use of chemicals to maintain the quality of agricultural lands and producing fertilisers from food waste, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Dr Mariyam Mariya has said.
Speaking at a high-level ministerial special event organised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), Minister Dr Mariya highlighted that 90 percent of the food consumed in the Maldives is imported, prompting the government to prioritise agricultural development to ensure food security.
However, such efforts face major challenges due to Maldives’ extreme vulnerabilities to climate change, she said. In order to mitigate such challenges, the government has given special emphasis to adopting modern climate resistant agricultural techniques.
"Hydroponic and vertical farming is being introduced. Training on modern farming techniques is also being conducted alongside efforts to establish drip irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting systems,” she explained.
Maldives being a low-lying island nation, faces significant climate change impacts, particularly from rising sea levels and coastal erosion, which according to the Minister, makes maintaining the quality of agricultural land a top priority.
Minister Dr Mariya said the government has shifted its policies towards stopping the use of chemicals and producing plant food from waste.
As a major fishing country, the Minister said Maldives has potential to mass produce fertiliser from fish waste.
In addition, efforts are being made to increase the economic viability of agriculture by facilitating soft loans to farmers and directly connecting farmers and customers through digital platforms.