The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Dr Mariyam Mariya has asserted that the Maldives can develop a modern, internationally-competitive agricultural system, even within the unique constraints of its small islands.
The Minister was speaking at a workshop designed to familiarise farmers with the Maldives Good Agricultural Practices (MGAP) certification. She emphasised that the event was more than just a training programme, calling it the beginning of an important change in the country's agricultural journey.
Highlighting a landmark achievement, Minister Mariya announced that ten members of the Goidhoo Island Pharmaceutical Forum have successfully passed the rigorous MGAP audit, obtaining their certificates. This milestone makes Goidhoo, Shaviyani Atoll the first island in the nation to receive certification encompassing all five modules of the MGAP standard.
“This is a historic achievement. These accomplishments show that farmers in different parts of the country can achieve MGAP certification with courage and adequate assistance," she said, pointing to the training of 50 farmers last year under the PDSAE project as evidence of the government’s ongoing support.
The Minister charged the 55 workshop participants from 22 islands to return to their communities as “ambassadors for positive change.” She outlined the dual benefits of the MGAP framework-empowering farmers to earn a sustainable livelihood while protecting the nation’s fragile environment.
She framed the initiative as a critical step in national resilience, calling the MGAP system an encouragement and strength to protect the islands from the threat posed by climate change.
The MGAP certificate is a national scheme designed to strengthen food security, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and ensure that locally produced food is safe, high-quality, and grown in an environmentally friendly manner.