The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture opened applications today for proposal submissions for the "Aaruveri Matching Grant" program, conducted with the assistance of the World Bank to advance fisheries and agriculture.
While the grant issued under the World Bank's Transforming "Fisheries Management in South West Indian Ocean Region and Maldives Project" is to be issued across projects in a total of seven areas, proposal submissions were opened for five of those areas.
They are:
- Reducing energy expenditure on fishing vessels.
- Establishing infrastructure specifically for activities of those two sectors conducted on uninhabited islands and inhabited islands leased for fisheries and agriculture.
- Newly starting as well as currently ongoing mariculture operations.
- Fish processing.
- Increasing value-added products of fish and diversifying that sector.
According to information published on the Ministry of Fisheries website, out of these five types of operations, a total of USD 200,000 will be issued to reduce energy expenditure on fishing vessels. A total of USD 70,000 in assistance will be provided to establish infrastructure specifically for activities of those two sectors conducted on uninhabited islands and inhabited islands leased for fisheries and agriculture.
A total of USD 83,000 will be issued for newly starting as well as currently ongoing mariculture operations. While a total of USD 828,000 will be issued for fish processing operations, USD 180,000 will be issued to increase value-added products of fish and diversify that sector.
Eligibility criteria and detailed information regarding applying for the Aaruveri grant have now been published on the Ministry of Fisheries website.
