Agriculture

The agriculture sector is prominent in the livelihoods of the rural population of Maldives and plays an important role in food and nutrition security, especially for those who are residing in the rural areas. Agriculture is important for food security in two ways; it provides food for consumption and perhaps even more important it provides the primary source of livelihood for over 7,000 farmers and their families (MoFA, 2012).

The small size of islands and limited freshwater availability limit local agricultural production. Extreme weather events further exacerbate this vulnerability, especially when flooding due to surges or sea swells and high waves impact the freshwater lens. About 90% of the food consumed in the country is imported in the Maldives. Only 10% of the land is estimated to be cultivable. Millet, corn, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, pineapples, sugarcane, almonds, and many kinds of tropical vegetables and fruits are successfully grown, largely in homestead gardens.

Coconut palms provide copra and coir, the most important exports after fish in Maldives. Almost all rice, the staple food for the population has been imported. Breadfruit, mangoes, papayas, limes, bananas, pumpkins, watermelon, taro, and chili peppers are also valuable crops in Maldivian cuisines cultivated in the southern Islands.

In certain islands, especially those in the South where low-lying swampy areas are available, the growing of root crops such as taro is important. Root crops and breadfruit together represent traditional staple crops that are grown. Some islands have developed specialized production of certain crops, such as Feevah in banana, Thoddoo in watermelon, and Fuahmulah in taro. Mainly, the field crops are raised by natural rainfall during the south-west monsoon season.

As of 1999, small amounts of corn, millet, and sorghum were cultivated. Production in 1999 included 12,000 tons of coconuts and 2,000 tons of copra. Extreme events would also impact food distribution within the country as inter island transport is mainly by sea. The vulnerability assessment identified the need to increase food storage in local Islands.

References

FAO, (2012) Maldives Country Programming Framework, Food and Agriculture Organization, December 2012. Link

National Encyclopedia, Maldives – Agriculture. https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Maldives-AGRICULTURE.html