Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has conducted a farmers' training programme for the Community Urban Farming Project.
Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Agriculture Zaha Waheed and Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives Keiko Yanai joined the inaugural online webinar session, along with the chosen 48 candidates of the programme. Speaking at the session, Minister Zaha encouraged the candidates to make full use of the opportunity and to make the programme successful.
The Community Urban Farming Project is an initiative of HDC, conducted in collaboration with the agriculture ministry, Ministry of Economic Development and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The programme is part of the Sustainable Economic Empowerment and Development for SMEs (SEEDS) project conducted in the Maldives by UNDP Maldives with the support from the Government of Japan.
The programme provides the opportunity for residents of Hulhumale', especially women and people with disabilities, to earn an income through agriculture and farming. It also aims to promote local production and reduce the dependency on imported food.