Maldives invests in international training to boost farming

MALE, Maldives (MNTV) — The Maldives has launched a new phase in its effort to strengthen domestic food production by sending local farmers abroad for international training, underscoring a broader government push to modernize agriculture in one of the world’s most import-dependent island economies.

Authorities say the initiative reflects growing urgency to build agricultural capacity at home as the country grapples with climate vulnerability, supply-chain shocks, and rising food costs — challenges that have exposed the risks of near-total reliance on imported produce.

As part of that strategy, 52 Maldivian farmers have travelled to Sri Lanka to take part in an advanced horticulture training program focused on modern greenhouse farming and practical cultivation techniques. Officials described it as the largest publicly opened international training program yet for Maldivian agricultural workers.

The program is being implemented under the Maldives Agribusiness Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, a United Nations agency that supports rural development in low-income and climate-vulnerable countries.

According to the ministry, the Advanced Horticulture Exposure Training Program, running from Feb. 2 to Feb. 13, is designed to provide hands-on experience in greenhouse cultivation, crop management and climate-adaptive farming methods — areas the Maldives sees as critical to scaling domestic food production despite limited land and fragile ecosystems.

Participants were selected from farmers who previously completed MAP’s lead-farmer training programs or who have already begun greenhouse cultivation under government-supported farmer grant schemes. Officials said the aim is to create a skilled core of practitioners who can transfer knowledge across islands.