Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) Qu Dongyu has discussed establishing a permanent presence in the Maldives. The discussion was held during a meeting between Director-General Qu Dongyu and Vice President Faisal Naseem at the President's Office.
During the meeting, the vice president and the director-general spoke on the challenges to food security and adapting to the dynamic changes seen around the world. They discussed a wide range of issues, including the economic hurdles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of encouraging people to be more involved in ensuring food security through self-sufficiency.
Vice President Naseem highlighted the Maldives is heavily reliant on imports and tourism and were severely affected by the pandemic. The vice president said the pandemic brought to light unforeseen challenges and that technical expertise and support from the UNFAO would greatly assist the Maldives in mitigating the effects of such events in the future. He cited the limited land area and resources in the country and requested assistance from the UNFAO in developing more innovative solutions to develop agricultural activities.
At the meeting, Director-General Dongyu said UNFAO is working closely with the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture and expressed hopes of establishing a permanent presence in the Maldives soon. He also stressed that the collaboration from UN agencies in the efforts by the UNFAO in the Maldives had been immense and commended the efforts of the government towards the development of mariculture. He added the Maldives needs to invest more in research and development and that the UNFAO is ready to provide the necessary support and assistance in training and capacity building.