In a significant move to address the nation's heavy reliance on food imports, Minister of Health, Family and Welfare, Geela Ali has outlined a comprehensive vision for ensuring food security through modern digital systems and strengthened institutional frameworks.
Speaking at a ceremony marking Food Security Day in Nilandhoo, Faafu Atoll, Minister Geela highlighted the challenges faced by the island nation in supplying imported food items across its dispersed geographical territory.
"Everything the people consume must be safe and of quality," she said, emphasising the government's commitment to enhancing laboratory capacity and legal mechanisms to monitor food hazards effectively.
The Minister announced that the President's approval of the Food Security Act on 23 May 2024 represents a landmark achievement for the sector.
"This is a strong foundation for Maldives' system to meet international standards," she noted, adding that the aim is to foster cooperation between the health sector, fisheries, and agriculture.
The vision for the future, according to Minister Geela, centres on leveraging modern digital systems to ensure comprehensive food safety monitoring. She underscored the importance of immediate response protocols, expanded laboratory capabilities, and strengthened public-private partnerships to reduce foodborne illnesses and create new business opportunities.
First Lady Saajidha Mohamed, who also addressed the gathering, stressed that food security reflects a country's level of civilization and moral development. She called for collective effort from households, schools, and the entire society, noting that children should be educated about food safety from an early age.
The First Lady acknowledged that while challenges remain—including limited resources and technical gaps—technological advancements have now opened doors for Maldives to export domestically produced food products, a capability that was previously unavailable.
Both the First Lady and the Minister, urged unified national commitment to ensure that food on every table in the country is safe, describing food security as both a health imperative and a national responsibility.