The Ministry of Agriculture has signed an agreement with The Maldives Institute of Technology to design and operate a business management and entrepreneurial skills training program aimed at the farmers of the islands who are working under the Maldives Agribusiness Programme (MAP), where the project is being carried out.

Under the agreement, an assessment will be conducted to identify the knowledge gap among the farmers working with the Maldives Agribusiness Program. Based on the available information, a customized training manual and documents for training will be prepared and implemented in the islands of the project. It was signed for an 11-month period.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, the objective of the training program is to help farmers start an agricultural business or build an ongoing business by inculcating good practices of managing business and financial accounts.

Maldives Agribusiness Program (MAP) is a joint project between the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Maldives in 26 islands of Haa Alif Atoll, Haa Dhaalu Atoll and Baa Atoll.

As part of the project, an island farmer forum group comprising farmers from 26 islands is being set up to provide them with training, knowledge, and financial assistance in agriculture and related fields.

As one of the main tasks of the project, technical training programs are already underway on how to grow cucumber and melon in cocopeat by installing greenhouses in 12 islands. The idea is to encourage and familiarize farmers to use better and more advanced technology than what has been done for a long time when climate-smart and sustainable farming has flourished