Bilateral meeting with H.E. Mariyam Mariya, Minister for Agriculture and Animal Welfare of the Maldives

Rome - During the 44th Session of the FAO Conference, FAO Director-General Dr QU Dongyu met with H.E. Mariyam Mariya, Minister for Agriculture and Animal Welfare of the Maldives.

The Minister briefed the Director-General on recent institutional reforms in the Maldives, highlighting that the Ministry of Agriculture was dissolved in December 2024 and its functions integrated into the newly formed Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture to strengthen coordination across sectors.

The Director-General welcomed the reform, noting that integrating agriculture and fisheries under one umbrella could contribute to a more resilient and efficient agrifood system. He reiterated FAO’s commitment to supporting the Maldives through technical assistance and cooperation.

The Minister outlined key challenges in the agricultural sector, including limited capacity to sustain project outcomes, gaps in training and knowledge transfer, and logistical constraints for smallholder farmers. She also referred to difficulties in seed collection and limited engagement with other Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

In response, the Director-General emphasized the need to promote small-scale facilities, maximize the use of household spaces, and adopt practical solutions such as vertical farming. He also encouraged the empowerment of youth and support for small producers through cooperatives and targeted investment. He noted that rather than pursuing high-cost infrastructure, efforts should focus on building cost-effective value chains around selected key products.

The Minister shared that the Maldives cultivates mangoes, bananas, and taro, and stressed the importance of knowledge sharing to improve crop protection and farmer capacity.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing a shared commitment to enhancing cooperation and discussing the importance of further strengthening collaboration between FAO and the Maldives.