Vertical Farming Testing Agreement Signed

The Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has signed an agreement with VC Group Pvt Ltd to implement a pilot project to promote vertical farming in Maldives. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Ministry by its Finance Executive, Alfaalil Fathimath Shaayaa. The private company was represented by its Managing Director (MD) Ismail Rasheed.

The Ministry has decided to pilot vertical farming programs in Maldives at the Hanimaadhoo Agricultural Centre. Therefore, three types of hydroponics setups will be installed at the centre, the Ministry said.

Setups to be established

According to the ministry, all setups should be completed in Hanimaadhoo within the next 34 days. As such, the ministry shared, such projects are important for a small island country like Maldives. The ministry noted that there are many benefits to producing food sustainably in the country without relying on foreign countries. The project will help identify the type of vertical farming that is most suitable for Maldives, the ministry said. Once the pilot project is completed, the local farmers will be introduced to the most type of vertical farming, as will be determined by the tests.

The introduction of vertical farming in Maldives is part of the government's 14 Week road map. It is the largest agricultural project on the chart.