News Desk
MALE’ — The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources has distributed 1,865 banana plants and fertiliser to 11 islands across the northern atolls as part of a programme to strengthen food security and boost local agricultural production.
The ministry said the initiative is being carried out in partnership with Women’s Development Committees across the islands, with the first round of distribution going to committees that submitted complete plans and information to participate in the programme.
The islands that received plants and fertiliser in the first round are Ihavandhoo, Maarandhoo, Thakandhaa and Uligamu in Haa Alif Atoll, Kumundhoo and Vaikaradhoo in Haa Dhaal Atoll, Bilehfahi, Goidhoo and Maroshi in Shaviyani Atoll, and Maalhendhoo and Maafaru in Noonu Atoll.
The ministry said the programme is intended to encourage banana cultivation across the islands and increase domestic agricultural output. It added that further rounds of distribution are planned for committees that have expressed interest and are in the process of completing their submissions.
The Maldives imports the vast majority of its food and has for years identified domestic food production as a priority for reducing import dependence. Banana cultivation, which can be managed at household and community level without large infrastructure, is seen as one of the more practical entry points for expanding what islands grow and consume locally.
