Abstract: | This report provides the finding of an environmental impact assessment carried out for the
proposed agriculture development project at Lh. Aligau. The project is proposed by
Crystalline.mv Pvt. Ltd., a company duly registered in the Maldives.
The proposed project involves producing high value agricultural products for sale in the local
market. The project aims to reduce dependency of the local populace on imported fruits and
vegetables by growing as many different species of fruits and vegetables on the island. The
project will also provide job and training opportunities to youth and contribute to the overall
development of the country. It is proposed to grow red and green leave, tomatoes, chillies,
lettuce, kale/collard (kopee faiy), melons, cucumber and similar vegetable and fruits on
approximately 0.4hectares of land. Rotary Hydroponics systems and Containerized Growing
System (CGS) technology will be used to grow the vegetables and fruits on the island. The
CGS technology is new to the Maldives, therefore, alternative improvements to the design of
the containers have been proposed in the EIA.
The proposed project will have several support facilities including power, water, sewerage,
jetty, staff and visitor accommodation and storage facilities developed on the island since the
island is remotely located. Under the project, roughly 0.4Ha of the island will be cleared
towards the middle of the island, where there are mainly coconut palms, less than 0.1Ha
cleared from different areas of the island for other infrastructure and a 30m long jetty will be
constructed. Services related to the project, such as staff accommodation, power, water and
storage facilities will also be established on the island during the construction phase.
The baseline environmental conditions were assessed using standard methods. The project
areas including clearance areas and dredge areas have been studied. In addition, the island’s
vegetation and shorelines were mapped. The studies indicated that the hydroponics area
consisted primarily of coconut palms with other island vegetation. It has been estimated from
the vegetation surveys that a total of 150 coconut palms and 50 other mature trees would need
to be cleared, but a lot of it can be preserved if the buildings are appropriately
designed/setout. The proposed jetty area has shallow depths, as a result of which dredging has
been recommended in the EIA.
Environmental impacts were identified and assessed for both construction phase and
operational phase of the project. Some of the environmental impacts of the project have been
identified as positive resulting mainly from improved socio-economic conditions, increased
economic activities in Lhaviyani Atoll, direct and indirect employment opportunities, and
increased business opportunities. The main negative environmental impacts of the project are
identified to be the changes to the island ecosystem from clearance of vegetation and impact
on the marine environment from a small degree of sedimentation due to dredging for jetty
installation. Although only a 30m jetty is proposed, it would be necessary to create a harbour
basin and a channel from the deep lagoon. However, harbor and channels are beyond the
scope of this EIA and have been proposed as an important mitigation measure to minimize
related socio-economic and vessel safety impacts. Other mitigation measures for the proposed
project would be that clearance take place only where necessary and coconut palms are
transplanted on other areas of the island or other island where the trees may be required. It is
also required to plant two trees for every mature tree or coconut tree cut down. Septic tank
systems have been proposed for disposing human waste and pose no long-term negative
environmental impact considering the small number of people expected to be based on the
island. In fact, the small volume of sludge may be sun-dried and used as fertilizer for
agriculture.
The activities proposed in the project comply with environmental laws and regulations of the
Maldives, including requirements of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture. These have
been outlined in the report.
Alternatives have been identified in the project document. These include design modifications
for the proposed jetty and CGS systems. The “no-development” option was also analyzed in
light of alternative uses of the island. However, upon analysis of the no-project option, the
proposed development of the island for agricultural purpose was found to be more viable
based on the present circumstances and use of the island. Considering the other potential
alternative uses of the island, the lack of beach on the island does not make it most-suited for
tourism development although beaches can be enhanced and a resort can be developed on the
island, which would be a better option considering the revenue that it will generate and
greater employment potential. The local agricultural produce in market such as those from
Maafahi have been contributing to food security and availability of fresh agro-products for a
number of years. Hence, such small scale agriculture projects are becoming increasingly
important for the sustainable development of the Maldives. Alternatives to water supply,
wastewater disposal and electricity have also been considered. The use of groundwater for the
proposed hydroponic system is quite appropriate given the small volume of water required for
hydroponic systems, however, skimming technologies have been recommended. Wastewater
treatment would have negative impacts for the proposed project in terms of use of fuel-based
electricity for the treatment process. Therefore, the proposed septic tank system is considered
appropriate for such a small scale operation involving a small labour force. Alternative
sources of power have also been looked at and recommend the use of solar (photo-voltaic)
technology to the greatest possible extent. As such, it is also recommended to design the
proposed containers incorporating maximum use of day light/solar energy.
It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts. However, most of
the impacts of the proposed project are minor compared to the positive socio-economic
benefits of the project. Yet, monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed project
would be necessary especially with new technologies such as containerized growth system
technology. Therefore, a monitoring component has been suggested which takes into
consideration the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring
component will be adhered to and will allow the assessment of changes due to construction
and implementation of the proposed agriculture project. Monitoring is specifically focussed
on employment opportunities, price changes in the market, direct and indirect economic
ventures, ground and marine water quality, changes in the hydrodynamics of the project area
as well as impacts on the reef or marine ecological area of importance.
In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry
out the proposed project to develop Aligau as an agricultural island. The recommended
alternatives may be considered in the light of improving environmental performance of the
proposed project. |