Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has paid a courtesy call on Vice President Faisal Naseem.

The meeting was held at the President’s Office on Tuesday morning.

Discussions were held on the challenges to food security, adapting to the dynamic changes across the globe as well as the economic hurdles caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in addition to the significance of encouraging people to be more involved in ensuring food security through self-sufficiency.

Speaking at the meeting, VP Naseem shed light on the tourism industry, noting that Maldives was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, as a country that is heavily reliant on imports and tourism.

As such, he stated that the Covid-19 pandemic brought unexpected challenges to the spotlight.

With this being said, the vice president noted that technical expertise and support from the FAO is expected to greatly assist Maldives to mitigate the effects of such events in the future.

VP Naseem went on to seek assistance from FAO to develop more innovative solutions to develop agricultural activities, having cited the limited land area and resources.

The FAO Director-General stated that they are working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, going on to express hope to establish a permanent presence in Maldives in the near future.

Further, he stressed that collaboration from United Nations agencies in the efforts by FAO in Maldives have been immense.

The FAO Director-General went on to shed light on his recent visit to Maniyafushi Island in the Kaafu atoll, stating that the government’s efforts towards the development of mariculture is commendable.

He also revealed that Maldives needs to invest more in research and development, adding that FAO is ready to provide the necessary support and assistance in training and capacity building.

The meeting was joined by the UN Resident Coordinator for the Maldives, Catherine Haswell and Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan.