Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Agriculture Dr. Hussain Hassan has discussed strengthening food security in the Maldives with the Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) Qu Dongyu. The discussions were held during a meeting held with Director-General Qu Dongyu during his visit to the Maldives.
During the meeting, Minister Hassan and Director-General Qu Dongyu discussed strengthening food security and boosting the sustainability of rural livelihoods, with a focus on agricultural innovation, commodity-based agriculture, and fisheries development. Minister Hassan noted a number of issues, including rising fish prices, the high cost of exporting fish from the Maldives, the rising cost of agriculture for land, and the lack of technology available in the Maldives to enable more modern farming. Director-General Qu Dongyu assured he would address some of the significant difficulties confronting the Maldivian fisheries and agriculture sectors, as well as discuss potential solutions.
Additionally, the Government of the Maldives signed an agreement with UNFAO to launch the new FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2022 -2026. The agreement was signed by Minister Hassan and the Country Representative of the UNFAO Vimlendra Sharan.
During the visit, Director-General Qu Dongyu toured the hatchery and nursery in Maniyafushi, Kaafu Atoll, which is being operated by the Maldives Marine Research Institute. Minister Hassan also accompanied the UNFAO delegation during the visit to the Ensis Canning Factory and the Habitus Fresh Farm.