The overall goal of the project is to build on the work of the SEEDS project and further strengthen local productivity of agricultural produce in the Maldives. By doing so, the project aims to enhance food security in the archipelagic nation, which has very limited arable land, and also enable more entrepreneurs interested in the agricultural businesses to enter the sector and facilitate secondary and tertiary production of related commodities including foodstuff and textiles.  

This will be achieved through three outputs focusing on:  

1. Strengthening assistance to increase local farmer expertise in agriculture,  

• Mainstream & promote Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) on farms under contract with AgroNat.  

• Establish a laboratory facility for soil testing and plant tissue culture.  

• Enhance capacity building for agricultural expertise and extension offers based in islands. Establish and operate a training facility in Laamu Atoll.  

• Assist local farmers to adopt innovative and ‘greener’ farming practices.  

2. Enhancing agricultural capacities and opportunities to ensure food security and  

• Scale up and mainstream the urban agricultural incubation programme for young/new generation farmers in the Greater Malé Region.  

3. Enhancing support industries and value-added services to augment agro-businesses.  

• Develop an organic market plaza to sell local produce from the Urban Farming project.  

• Develop an incubation plan for the agricultural and food and beverages sector centred on the concept of “From Farm to Plate”.  

• Create additional support structures to enhance BCC services to the agricultural/food production sectors.  

• Establish a sustainable, effective, reliable and timely transportation mechanism utilizing low-carbon technology for agricultural produce from farmers to markets, clients and customers.