Government and UNDP Supports Community-Led Green Farm Advancing Women’s Empowerment and Renewable Energy in R. Vaadhoo

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through its Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP), in partnership with the Global Support Initiative to Indigenous Peoples and Community-Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCA-GSI) funded by the German Ministry of Environment (BMUB) and the Vaadhoo Association for Future Development (VAFD), today marked the opening of the Vaadhoo Green Farm, a community-led initiative that strengthens food security, women's economic empowerment, and renewable energy adoption in the Maldives.

The Green Farm introduces commercial-scale hydroponic agriculture powered by solar energy, enabling women to produce fresh fruits and vegetables sustainably while generating stable income. The project integrates rooftop solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, and environmentally friendly growing media, demonstrating how climate-smart agriculture can deliver economic and environmental benefits at the island level.

Eighteen women have been trained in hydroponic farming, while an additional 25 women received capacity building in solar system installation and maintenance. The facility is capable of producing up to 600 kilograms of cucumbers and 400 kilograms of leafy greens per harvest, generating an estimated MVR 80,000 per month in income.

"This project shows that sustainable development is most powerful when driven by communities themselves," said Pek Chuan Gan, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in the Maldives. "Vaadhoo is demonstrating how innovation, clean energy, and women's leadership can work together to build resilient livelihoods."

The initiative builds on Vaadhoo's long-standing experience in hydroponic farming and a strong track record under the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP). Through successive SGP-supported projects, VAFD has expanded renewable energy infrastructure across the island-installing solar systems at public facilities, introducing clean mobility solutions, reducing diesel use by 32 percent, and cutting more than 20 tons of CO₂ emissions annually. Over 40 community members have been trained, enabling the organisation to operate and maintain its renewable energy systems independently.

In total, Vaadhoo now hosts 32.5 kilowatts of solar capacity supported through GEF SGP initiatives, positioning the island as a national example of community-led renewable energy transition.

Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, today's launch of the Vaadhoo Green Farm contributes to biodiversity conservation, climate action, and inclusive economic growth-demonstrating how small island communities can lead transformative change.