Sustainable Land Management in the Maldives

Land is at a premium in the Maldives.

Maintaining the health of the coastal waters is critical to maintaining the primary industry of Tourism. P4SD has assisted the Government with its endeavours to pursue sustainable land management through the production of the National Action Programme to address Land Degradation. Land use planning and pursuing better sustainable development strategies are two key goals of Government.

With a burgeoning population and very limited land masses the Government of the Maldives has had to continually reclaim coastal areas in the main urban centres near Male, including the creation of whole islands to accommodate the residents and industry.

Elsewhere in the more remote parts of the country very small communities survive on tiny and very vulnerable atolls and islands. Maintaining the ecological health of the coastal areas is critical to the nation’s central industry – Tourism.

As with many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) land based sources of pollution present the biggest threat.

The National Action Programme to address Land Degradation provides the Government and communities with a clear blueprint on the best means to reduce the threats upon its coastal resources through sustainable land management, including the enhancement of land use planning capacity.