National fisheries and agricultural policy 2019 - 2029

Abstract

The fisheries and agriculture sectors play a vital role in the Republic of Maldives for various reasons. On one hand, statistics show that on average fish consumption contributes to nearly 71% of the animal-source protein intake of the population’s diet, that is the highest percent in the world (Bennett and al., 2018). This ranks the Republic of Maldives as the world first fish-dependent country. On another hand, it appears that the steadily growth of the population, along with the continuous influx of tourists, attract a high demand for fish and agricultural products (FAO, 2012). In this regard, statistics show that the current population rose to 533,942 in 2019 with an expected growth rate of 23% for the next decade. Meanwhile, the tourism sector attracted 1,484,274 visitors in 2017, generating nearly 20% of the Maldives’ GDP at current prices, which is the highest share of all sectors in the country (NBS, 2018). Despite this growing internal demand for fish and agricultural products, it is worth noticing that the primary sector’s own share of the GDP only reached 5.6% in 2017 (NBS, 2018). Furthermore, national records indicate that less than 10% of the national food requirement is met through domestic production and the country still remains 100% dependent on imports for staple food items such as flour, rice and sugar (FAO, 2012). In view of such context, it has become crucial to better assess the challenges and opportunities pertaining to the fisheries and agriculture sectors in order to develop sound policies that will effectively trigger greater benefits for all, namely fishers, farmers, consumers, and other industry stakeholders. (FAO, 2012). Hence, this document endeavors to present Maldives’ first national policy framework for the fisheries and agricultural sectors. The first section exposes the background context, rationale, applicability, and scope of the policy framework. The second section presents the fundamental components of the policy, that is the mission, vision, values, guiding principles, focus areas and pillars. Then, the third section details the policy statements that shall lead the sustainable development of the Maldives’ fisheries and agricultural sectors in the next ten years. Sections 4 and 5 focus on the institutional, legal and regulatory framework whereas section 6 discusses the implementation process. Lastly, section 7 addresses key factors to consider in order to ensure proper monitoring and evaluation of the policy enactment. As it stands, the fisheries and agriculture sectors are likely to attract greater national attention in the upcoming years. This is because both sectors have a unique potential to alleviate poverty through greater economic empowerment, as well as to improve food security, the nutritional state and the overall health status of the population while significantly contributing to sustainable environmental management. Therefore, it is hoped that this first national fisheries and agricultural policy framework will lead both sectors to deliver their promises of a better future for the Maldivian people.