First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed has urged establishing a well-rounded, sustainable, climate-smart agricultural sector that can withstand the impacts of natural disasters. She made the remarks while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Climate Resilient Agriculture for Food Security in the Maldives Conference.
Speaking at the conference, the First Lady emphasised that farmers need capacity building on sustainable farming practices to enhance resilience against climate impacts and investment. She further mentioned that chemical-ridden fertilisers boost growth only to hinder sustainable, climate-friendly agricultural practices.
The First Lady highlighted the importance of ensuring that local farmers, entrepreneurs, and communities have access to the latest information and technological advancements, empowering them to adopt smart and efficient solutions. She added embracing AI in agriculture can revolutionise farming by enhancing precision, optimising resource use, and boosting productivity, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and resilient food system.
In addition, The First Lady underscored ensuring long-term food security has profound health benefits, particularly in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). She added healthy food consumption habits should be supported by taking special precautions to not compromise food safety standards when formulating national plans to promote climate-resilient agriculture in the Maldives.
This conference, a collaboration between the Maldives National University (MNU) and the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), convenes policymakers, industry experts, and academics to discuss advancements in climate-resilient agriculture and food security in the Maldives. The event provides a vital platform to assess vulnerabilities, explore climate-smart solutions, and foster meaningful partnerships aimed at enhancing food security and resilience to climate change.