Maldives to Conduct First Nationwide Agricultural Data Collection

The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare has announced plans to carry out the Maldives’ first nationwide agricultural data collection exercise.

According to the ministry, more than 7,000 people are currently engaged in agriculture across the country, with over half of them identified as women.

The data collection is scheduled to begin this year and will be conducted in collaboration with the Maldives Bureau of Statistics and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

The initiative aims to gather comprehensive information on farmers and agricultural practices in the Maldives. This includes data on crop varieties, farming methods, as well as the needs and challenges faced by those working in the sector. It will also capture information on individuals engaged in agriculture who are not formally registered.

The ministry confirmed that the questionnaire for the exercise has already been developed and pretested. Work is also underway to develop a dedicated data application to support the collection and management of agricultural information.

The data collection is intended to strengthen sustainable agriculture and support evidence-based policymaking within the sector.