The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare has announced plans to distribute machinery and test kits, donated by China, to atoll and city councils as part of its efforts to strengthen agricultural capacity across the country. This effort, the ministry has said, seeks to enhance local authorities' ability to manage agricultural development and pest control initiatives effectively.
Valued at approximately USD 14,576, the equipment was a gift from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, an organisation widely recognised for its leadership in rural and agricultural innovation.
Facilitated under an agreement signed between the Maldivian government, the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the donation includes an array of specialised equipment. Among the items provided are 25 sprayers for large trees, 100 test kits for analysing soil nutrients, 35 controllers for automated irrigation systems, and 340 kits designed to detect avian influenza.
The ministry underscored the critical importance of ensuring these resources are readily accessible to councils across the nation, noting that their availability would enable swift and effective pest control operations whenever the need arises.
The initiative is part of a broader collaboration between the two nations, reflecting China's continued support for Maldivian agricultural development. In December 2024, a delegation of experts from the Environment and Plant Protection Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) visited the Maldives.
Their mission was to accelerate the implementation of the 'Maldives Coconut Tree Pest Control Assistance Project,' aimed at protecting the country's iconic coconut palms from the invasive Coconut Hispine Leaf Beetle (CHLB). During their visit, the experts carried out an assessment at the Hanimaadhoo Agriculture Centre in Haa Dhaalu Atoll. This evaluation explored the establishment of a Natural Enemy Laboratory, an initiative designed to promote sustainable pest control methods within the Maldives.