Fisheries & Agriculture Ministry is seeking interested parties to start an Urban Gardening pilot project in Male’. Urban gardening is the process of growing plants of all types and varieties in an urban environment. The Ministry believes Male’ City to be a perfect place to develop urban gardens.
The Ministry said selected parties from those interested in building model urban gardens on their own private land or terraces will be provided with the necessary equipment by the government.
In their announcement, the Ministry included some guidelines for the urban garden models, advising against the use of strong chemical-based fertilizer and plant food in favor of organic fertilizer and compost. Preparing compost using leftovers from household meals was also recommended as part of the project.
The announcement also included things to consider when deciding on the place or terrace for the project:
• Accessibility to the terrace or land
• Safety measures implemented Spaciousness of the area for use in advertising and promotion of the model to the public
• The level of owner’s participation in the establishment of the project
• Opportunities provided to neighbors to gain experience through practical participation in the project
• The level of access to available sunlight, and salinity of the soil.
The urban gardening project is being proposed by the government amid worldwide discussions on food security due to the measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Indoor and outdoor home gardening for aesthetic value and food has become very popular in Maldives, especially in Male’, in recent years and some businesses are actively trying to promote urban gardening.
