Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan has highlighted the importance of integrating the agricultural sector with tourism, the primary economic sector in the Maldives.
In commemoration of National Farmers' Day, Minister Hussain highlighted the limited availability of land for agriculture in the Maldives. He stressed the potential benefits of integrating agriculture with tourism to enhance the agricultural sector, given the country's heavy reliance on the tourism sector. He also recognised the need to use modern resources for food production in a land-constrained nation. As, such, he encouraged farmers to cultivate high-value crops on small land plots while ensuring food security.
The government has also established Agro National Corporation Limited (AgroNat), a company tasked with marketing agricultural produce and improving income for farmers. In addition, the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has launched the Dhanduveriya website, providing essential information about agriculture to farmers. The government is also addressing coconut production challenges by planting coconut palm trees on islands with large land areas.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has declared October 15 as the National Farmers’ Day in 2020. The primary goal of commemorating the day on a national level is to recognise the efforts and contributions of farmers to ensuring food security.