The future of agriculture in Fuvahmulah

Having defied all odds and the prediction of Dr.Butani, our farmers have stood out from the rest. They make vital contributions to the island’s economy directly and indirectly. They have made this community more self-sufficient and are a great help to the nation’s food security. They have dramatically cut down the imports of some fruits and vegetables into the island. Good examples are cucumber, capsicum, fresh beans, tomatoes, lemon and passion fruit.

This is what we see on the surface. Scratch the gloss and a nasty picture emerges. Farmers are contaminating the soil and ground water with pesticides at an alarming rate. They are no longer content with less toxic concoctions like ΄dhunfaiyfen΄. If it is a spray against ants, they demand to see the ant drop dead at the moment of impact. Nothing less. The pity is that chemical pesticides and insecticides are mostly toxic and in most cases there is a pre-harvest interval for these toxins after the produce comes into contact with the toxin. When no one realizes this, the toxins end up being deposited in someone’s liver or other vital organ via the chillies, cucumbers and lettuce they consume. The rest sinks into the soil and below until it reaches the water lens where it stays for years if not decades or centuries.

While we are debating the future of our development, I believe the future of agriculture is an important issue. One thing we must realize is that land is our most scarce resource and every opportunity to expand vertically will have to be seized. Farmers must become more efficient and move towards hydroponics and auto pot hydroponics. Backyard gardening must be encouraged and specialization in a particular crop must be promoted among farmers.

We must also stick to our strengths. Traditionally, taro and mango had been the pillars of our agriculture and they both require very little care and attention as opposed to crops like cucumber and chili. A sizeable portion of the reed fields can still be turned into taro cultivation and more innovative ways of selling mango must be found. More value needs to be added to mango and taro products. Mangoes thrown away can be turned into chutney with a simple effort. Mango seeds contain starch that used to be harvested and made into savory pancakes just like ala fathafolhi (taro pancake).

There are a number of strategies that can be used to develop agriculture but for a start we need to look at where we stand right now in relation to the vision we have so that we chart a clear course towards the finish line avoiding the pitfalls and riding the opportunities along the way.