Maldives launches grants to boost climate resilience and food security
New program backed by Asian Development Bank will fund community innovation, sustainable livelihoods and climate adaptation projects across island nation
MALE, Maldives (MNTV) — The Maldives has launched a nationwide grant program designed to strengthen climate resilience, improve food security and support local innovation, as the low-lying Indian Ocean nation expands efforts to adapt to rising sea levels and increasingly extreme weather linked to climate change.
The VilunVeshi Grant Programme, unveiled earlier this week by the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, forms part of the broader Enhancing Climate Resilience and Food Security Project, an initiative aimed at helping communities develop sustainable livelihoods while reducing their vulnerability to environmental shocks.
Supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and implemented through SME Digital in collaboration with government agencies responsible for agriculture and fisheries, the program will provide financial assistance for projects that combine climate adaptation with economic development.
Unlike traditional environmental funding focused solely on conservation, the initiative is designed to encourage practical solutions that strengthen food production, improve water security, promote environmentally sustainable businesses and expand the use of digital technologies in climate adaptation.
The grant program is structured in three phases covering individual micro-grants, community and small business projects, and larger institutional demonstration initiatives intended to showcase scalable climate solutions.
Officials say the current phase will prioritize individuals, with applications capped at 150 submissions and grants awarded to 50 selected recipients. The program is also intended to support women, young innovators, community organizations and small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to turn climate-focused ideas into viable economic opportunities.
For the Maldives, where most inhabited islands sit only a few feet above sea level, climate adaptation has become an economic necessity as much as an environmental priority. Rising seas, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion and changing weather patterns increasingly threaten freshwater supplies, agriculture and fisheries that sustain many island communities.
Food security has emerged as a growing concern because the archipelago imports a large share of its food, leaving it vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains and price shocks. Expanding climate-resilient local food production has therefore become a central element of the country’s long-term adaptation strategy.
By linking environmental protection with entrepreneurship and income generation, the VilunVeshi program seeks to reduce financial barriers that often prevent communities from adopting innovative climate solutions.
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