AgroNat Officially Kicks Off Contract Farming under SEEDS Project

The Contract Farming initiative organized as part of ‘Sustainable Economic Empowerment and Development for SMEs’ (SEEDS) project has officially kicked off on Tuesday. The project is organized by Agro National Corporation Ltd (AgroNat).  
 
Contract Farming initiative aims to help smallholder farmers improve the process of food production and selling it to a viable market at a fair price, assisted by AgroNat. They will be supported through training and delivery of starter packs which include production material, tools, pipelines, pumps, and so on, under different support packages.  

 
SEEDS project is funded by the Japanese Government, with support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Maldives. As of date, 112 local farmers from 7 islands of Laamu atoll have signed up for the Contract Farming initiative. Supported by Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, AgroNat is conducting the project in collaboration with the Island Councils of the participating islands. 
 
The project is highly regarded as an opportunity for equal representation of both genders in the agri-business. As more innovative and productive approaches to the once manual work are introduced to the market, the Contract Farming initiative encourages to farmers to adapt to environment-friendly practices. With direct impacts of farming on local households and national food security, the initiative promises a productive way forward for those seeking employment on their home islands. It is notable that 46% of the participants in the project so far are women.