China has gifted to Maldives MVR 213,000 (CNY 100,000/ USD 14,000) worth of agricultural equipment.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare said today that this is under an agreement signed with the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences last year.
The agricultural equipment being gifted under this aid has now been brought to the Maldives, the ministry said. This includes:
- 25 sprays for large trees
- 100 test kits to test soil fertility
- 35 controllers for automatic sprinklers to water plants
- 340 test kits for avian influenza
The ministry said that these will contribute towards finding resolutions for the increased number of cases being submitted to the ministry about pests on trees.
Although pest control falls under the mandate of the island councils, many islands lack the facilities to adequately address the issue, the ministry said. As such, these equipment donated by China will be distributed to atoll and city councils, they said.