The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Dr Maryam Mariya, has stated that agriculture in the Maldives depends on rainfall and groundwater, but melting glaciers and climate change are having negative effects.

In a Facebook post marking World Water Day, the Minister warned that changing climate patterns are disrupting Maldivian agriculture.

She noted that islands are experiencing adverse effects due to glaciers melting and that the changing rainfall patterns are also negatively impacting agriculture.

The Minister noted that rising saltwater levels increase the salinity of groundwater, disrupting seasonal changes essential for plant growth. These challenges threaten communities that rely on agriculture, she said, stressing the importance of protecting the world’s glaciers to safeguard food security in the Maldives.

On World Water Day, she urged people to recognise the link between global glacier loss and Maldivian food security, adding that no one is exempt from these challenges.