Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam Plans Sector Expansion and Disease Control for Dharavandhoo

Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam met with the Dharavandhoo Council in Baa Atoll to strategize the expansion of the island's fisheries and agricultural sectors. The discussions focused on maximizing economic opportunities, with a specific emphasis on expanding reef fishery operations to boost local livelihoods. A critical point of the meeting centered on the island's struggle with plant disease outbreaks. The Dharavandhoo Council formally requested the ministry's urgent assistance in controlling these diseases, which threaten the island's agricultural productivity and food security. In response to the need for modernization in the blue economy, the ministry—in collaboration with the Maldives Marine Research Institute—is implementing a Marine Hatchery Skills Development Programme. This initiative aims to equip locals with specialized fish farming skills, fostering a new generation of aquaculture entrepreneurs while diversifying the economy and creating sustainable jobs. To combat plant diseases on a national scale, the government is strengthening its technical capabilities through strategic international partnerships. The ministry has recently entered into agreements with China to leverage foreign expertise in tree disease management. Furthermore, the government is establishing a national laboratory dedicated to plant disease analysis, ensuring that future outbreaks can be identified and mitigated with scientific precision.