Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam said last night that an excessive allocation of islands for agriculture and fisheries could hinder the Maldives' ability to attract foreign investment.
Speaking at the "Ahaa" public forum, the Minister emphasised that while increasing agricultural output is essential to achieving food security goals, the focus should be on boosting production on existing islands rather than leasing additional ones.
"If work proceeds on all these islands according to the submitted work plans, we will, God willing, be able to substitute at least some varieties of imported produce," Shiyam said.
A total of 56 islands have been leased for agriculture and fisheries across the Maldives, 39 of which are designated for farming.
Shiyam argued that leasing more islands to meet food demand would be a mistake. He noted that in a country with such a small population, dedicating an excessive number of islands to agriculture would create significant challenges in attracting international businesses.
"When we look at achieving such a major food security goal, if this many islands are already allocated for farming, investors will not come. Isn't that the case? In a small population like ours, if so many islands are allocated for agriculture, it becomes a major challenge for us to attract foreign investment to the sector," he said.
