Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has begun planting 5,000 coconut palm trees in the atolls.
The tree planting programme was launched in Vaikaradhoo, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, by Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan. The programme is financed by the Green Fund and aims to solve the difficulty in obtaining coconuts. The 5,000 coconut palms will be distributed to 11 islands in seven atolls under the supervision of the fisheries ministry. The trees are expected to mature and become profitable within two to three years.
The ministry made arrangements to deliver the trees after receiving proposals from local councils, women's development committees (WDCs), and private associations. The ministry decided to distribute the trees to the islands after making arrangements for permanent maintenance and is working with island councils to assign designated individuals to the trees.
In addition, the trees will be maintained on a permanent basis and reports on the trees will be collected regularly. The ministry decided to allocate a certain number of land to different islands under the land use plans of these islands.