Environmental impact assessment for the proposed poultry farm development project at N. Ehdhufarumairah

Abstract

This report discusses the findings of a social and environmental impact study undertaken by Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. at the request of Ocean Quartier Properties Pvt Ltd. This EIA report covers layer chicken poultry farm development project at Ehdhufarumairah, Noonu Atoll. Ehdhufarumairah is located on the eastern side of Noonu Atoll. This island is leased to Ocean Quartier Properties Pvt Ltd by Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture. Ocean Quartier Properties Pvt Ltd is the proponent of this project. Ocean Quartier Properties Pvt Ltd had acquired knowledge and information about commercial layer chicken poultry and officials of the company had travelled to Srilanka and Thailand and visited different layer chicken poultry farms projects to gain more experience and information on different poultry businesses which could be development in islands of Maldives. The project is proposed in Ehdhufarumairah. The vision is to establish layer chicken farm in Ehdhufarumairah which ensure commercial and environmental sustainability of producing chicken eggs locally. The main aim of this poultry farm project is to lessen import of chicken eggs to meet the local demand. Work is planned for sustainable layer chicken poultry farming ensuring the use of environment friendly technology. Under this project, sea cucumber feed materials will be made using the organic waste on the island and provide sea cucumber farms in the region. The proposed layer chicken poultry would be developed by importing layer type chicks from Srilanka from CP Farm, rearing chicken in the island in cages till it is old enough to lay eggs when they are 21 weeks olds. The poultry farm would be automated as to manage the feeding operations to the layer chickens, collection of eggs from the cage houses and removal of manure from the cages houses as waste material. The project will develop the necessary infrastructure in the area of power, water, sewage and wastewater to make the proposed poultry project sustainable. The project also involves developing accommodation and living areas for the researchers and famers on the island. The EIA was undertaken to assess the environmental and social impacts of this project. Based on the assessment, it has been identified that the major impacts of the project will be felt on the terrestrial environment during the construction stage. Ehdhufarumairah is not a large uninhabited island that could develop a large poultry farm. The development on the island will have impacts on marine environment from construction of jetty and outfalls. During the operational stage, environmental concerns are much less and are associated with energy, water, and waste and wastewater management. The mitigation measures are provided in the report with alternatives. It is vital to conduct the activities, during both construction and operational stage, in line with mitigation measures emphasized in the report. Socio-economic impacts of the proposed project will be creation of job opportunities in the atoll and development of the poultry industry in the country. This project will create enormous economic opportunities both in the construction and operational stage through creation of both short-term and permanent jobs and business opportunities especially for the locals at Velidhoo and Manadhoo. This project will introduce and promote the development of layer chicken poultry for the production chicken eggs on commercial scale enabling Maldives to provide additional avenue for employment and income generation. Towards the end of the report, a monitoring programme has been suggested which covers components of terrestrial, coastal and marine environment. It is important to follow this monitoring programme not only to comply with the regulation but also to ensure that the impacts are measures in realistic terms.