Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has established a solar water pump system for farms in Fainu, Raa Atoll.
The fisheries ministry established the pump system with assistance from the Fainu Island Council.
The pump system was inaugurated at a special ceremony by Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Agriculture Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan. During his visit, the fisheries minister also toured the agricultural areas of the island.
The solar water pump system was established as part of the fisheries ministry's drip irrigation project under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP). The solar water pump system provides environment-friendly means to transfer water to agricultural areas. The system established in Fainu consists of four 750-KiloWatt solar water pumps and 16 250-KiloWatt solar water pumps which can provide water to 10 farms measuring 10,000 square feet.
Speaking to PSM News, President of Fainu Island Council Moosa Umar Manik said the drip irrigation system established with the help of the government will greatly reduce water and electricity costs and that the solar water pump system will encourage more environment-friendly agricultural work to be conducted in the island.
Additionally, the council has made 30 plots of land available for agriculture for a period of 3-5 years. The council stated that it is continuing to establish means to provide easy water access to agricultural areas on the island.
Fainu is notable for its large landmass compared to other islands in the Maldives and around 66 hectares of land on the island is being used for agriculture.