Maldives-China sign agreement for coconut tree pest control

Maldives and China have signed their first bilateral agreement in agriculture, launching a pest control initiative targeting coconut palms.

During a courtesy call on Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare Dr. Maryam Mariya, Chinese Ambassador Kong Xianhua formalized the Implementation Agreement for the China-aided Coconut palm Pest Control Project.

The initiative will deploy Chinese experts to train Maldivian personnel and support the development of a local processing facility. This is a 2 year project that aims to establish an environmentally sustainable framework for managing coconut palm diseases and pests critical for protecting local agriculture and tourism environmental resources.

The project targets a live insect species responsible for transmitting black moth disease, a fungal infection that spreads through wounds on the bark and green parts of coconut palms. The fungus significantly weakens palms, in some cases leading to death, and poses a threat to both local agriculture and tourism environments.

“This project prioritizes food security and sustainable agricultural development, it will remain central to our cooperation agenda.” said Ambassador Kong.

Minister Mariya thanked China for its long-term valuable support for the development of agriculture and other fields in Maldives. She expressed her willingness to work together with China to continue strengthening agricultural cooperation between the two countries and constantly learn from China's advanced experience in agriculture.