Addu City, Maldives – Discussions are underway to implement greenhouse farming in Addu City under the Community Farming Project.
This project is to be established jointly by Addu City Council, Women’s Development Committee (WDC), Addu People’s Cooperative Society (APC) and Maldives National University (MNU).
APC informs that the equipment needed to begin the project will arrive in the city within the last three months. Each greenhouse is 1000 square feet and a sales outlet is also to be introduced to sell the goods produced.
The project aimed at farmers and students is supposed to benefit the community and will facilitate women and youth to enter farming by train 40 people in the field.
Greenhouse farming is the unique farm practice of growing crops within sheltered structures covered by a transparent, or partially transparent, material. The main purpose of greenhouses is to provide favorable growing conditions and to protect crops from unfavorable weather and various pests.
This project is largely funded by Small Grants Programme of Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and aims to fulfill two of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
While GEP has pledged MVR 697,284, APC has pledged MVR 1.2 million, and MNU has allocated MVR 1.4 million for the project. Additionally Addu City Council is supposed to spend MVR 100,000 while Addu WDC is spending MVR 244,000.
