The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare has announced plans to conduct the Maldives’ first nationwide agricultural data collection.
According to the ministry, more than 7,000 people are currently engaged in agriculture across the country, with over half of them being women.
The data collection exercise is expected to begin this year and will be carried out in collaboration with the Maldives Bureau of Statistics and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
The ministry said the initiative aims to gather comprehensive information on farmers and agricultural practices in the Maldives. This includes data on crop varieties, farming methods, needs and challenges faced by farmers, as well as information on individuals engaged in agriculture who are not formally registered.
Officials confirmed that the questionnaire for the data collection has already been developed and has undergone pretesting.
In addition, the ministry is working on the development of a dedicated data application to support the collection and management of agricultural information.
The initiative is intended to strengthen sustainable agriculture and support evidence-based policymaking in the sector.