Maldives

 Data to assess food security issues that affect the Maldives are not available from FAO flagships such as the State of Food Insecurity in the World and the State of Food and Agriculture. However, FAO’s Fisheries Department have assessed that the national production of fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other seafood was 117 000 tonnes in 2009.

FAO's main in-country programmes

Special Programme for Food Security
FAO started assisting the Maldives in the field of food security in 2001 through a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) project in support of the SPFS water control and crop intensification components with a budget of US$328 000, followed by a project on improved handling of fresh fish in 2003, which was extended to 2007.

Regional Programme for Food Security (RPFS)
Maldives is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC - http://www.saarc-sec.org/main.php ).

In a follow-up to the World Food Summit, FAO assisted the SAARC Secretariat in formulating a regional strategy and programme for food security under the project Support for the Preparation of Regional Programme for Food Security addressing regional constraints to food security and socio-economic vulnerability. This RPFS includes ten project concept notes for a total value of US$122.8 million, which was endorsed by the 15^th SAARC Summit in August 2008. The programme includes ten concept notes on priority regional projects identified by the regional technical working group designated by the SAARC member countries. The regional strategies and the programme for food security along with the project concept notes were endorsed by the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka, (August 2008), which issued the “Colombo Statement” on food security. The summit also issued a declaration on food security (http://www.saarc-sec.org/data/summit15/colombostatementonfoodsecurity.htm).

The Asian Development Bank is following up on this matter with a regional technical assistance to the SAARC secretariat to develop the project concept notes into full project documents with detailed financial cost estimates. The SAARC Secretariat and FAO intend to carry the process forward to mobilize development partners’ support for implementation of the projects. 

Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animals and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) - Animal Health Component

Maldives has never reported any EMPRES priority animal diseases, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). FAO responded immediately to the Asian crisis in early 2004 by organizing the FAO/World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)/World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Consultation on the Control of Avian Influenza (February, 2004), to identify options to control the outbreaks, followed by the “FAO/OIE Emergency Regional Meeting on Avian Influenza Control in Animals in Asia” Bangkok, Thailand (end February 2004) and a Second FAO/OIE regional meeting in Ho Chi Minh City (February 2005). 

Since February 2004 FAO has put specific country and regional trust fund and TCP projects to help curb the outbreaks of HPAI in parts of Asia and continues to play a leading role in the international prevention and fight against outbreaks of Avian Influenza. The projects address several issues, among them the improvement of surveillance (including wildlife issues), laboratory diagnostics, and the development of contingency plans. A regional approach has been chosen and appropriate international support is also considered necessary in order to take into consideration the regional and international dimensions of this crisis. Maldives is a beneficiary country of this regional project and was one as well of a previous project with similar objectives, which ended in 2006. FAO can also assist Maldives through one of its global projects on HPAI, should outbreaks occur.

Maldives will also be one of the beneficiary countries (through SAARC) of the under development EC “Regional Cooperation Programme on Highly Pathogenic and Emerging Diseases in Asia” (targeting mainly the technical task force on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) for the animal health side led by FAO). 

FAO Cooperation with UN Resident Coordinator
In November 2008, the Maldives held its first democratic election and brought in a new government under President Mohamed Nasheed.  The government has a new manifesto for development in the Maldives, which the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has recently supported the re-working of as an action plan. The UN country team is now drafting a new United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) in support of the government’s new priorities and this will be presented and discussed with cabinet ministers in early December 2009. In addition to participating in the UNDAF process, FAO is now supporting revision of the agriculture sector master plan to be in line with new government priorities. 

The FAO Representative based in Sri Lanka oversees the Maldives, which is directly supported by an FAO office based within the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources and currently staff by a retired FAO representative.  At present, FAO is assisting the government through a TCP to draft new legislation for agriculture, agriculture lands, pesticide use and plant protection.  This legislation is urgently needed and the support greatly appreciated.  In addition FAO, through another TCP, has developed virgin coconut oil processing facilities in the northern part of the country and is now tendering construction of a sister facility in the south.  Current emphasis is on a southern atoll where, with Japanese support, FAO is assisting a tsunami-ravaged community to further re-build and strengthen fisheries and agriculture production.  

In addition to ensuring successful implementation of the above on-going projects, FAO priorities in the coming months include:  1) UNDAF development, 2) preparation of the national medium term priority framework, 3) revision of the agriculture sector master plan, and 4) launching of South-South Cooperation with Pakistan.

The Maldives are at a critical point in history – internationally with its effort to bring global awareness and action to the threat of climate change – and domestically as a young democracy struggles to ensure sound local development.  FAO is an important resource and a valued partner in this effort both domestically and internationally.

last updated: 11 July 2011