The Ministry of Agriculture and China have signed a two-year implementation agreement to support pest control efforts targeting palm tree damage in the Maldives, with a particular focus on the Maldivian coconut palm.
Minister of Agriculture Dr. Mariyam Mariya signed the agreement on behalf of the Maldives, while Ambassador Kong Xianhui represented the People's Republic of China. The project aims to address pests that harm palm trees and related parts, especially those pests that have crossed borders into the Maldives.
Late last year, a delegation from the Environment and Plant Protection Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) visited the Maldives. The experts assessed pest control strategies and conducted a site visit to the Hanimaadhoo Agriculture Centre to identify diseases affecting local plant species.
The Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that this initiative is a crucial strategic step in managing the Coconut Hispine Beetle infestation, a significant threat to the health and productivity of palm trees in the Maldives, vital to food security and agribusiness development.