maduvvari Island, lhaviyani atoll

Maduvvari Island is situated in Lhaviyani Atoll at 5° 17' 5''N 73° 30' 7''E , approximately 127km NW of Male. The island covers an area of 22.5 hectares (55 acres). The nearest inhabited islands are Kurendhoo (6.5 km), Olhuvelifushi (11 km), Naifaru (23 km) and Hinnavaru (24.5 km). The nearest resort in operation is Palm Beach Island Resort (21 km), followed by Komandoo (24.5 km) and Kurendhdhoo (29 km).

Historically Maduvvari was used by passing sailors and fishermen to refill their water casks from the island's natural aquifer which was reputed to contain the finest drinking-water in the Atoll. In more recent times the island has been successfully farmed for the production of various fruit and vegetables, including: bananas, brinjal, chillies, cucumbers, melon, papaya, passion fruit, squash and sweet potatoes, as well as the traditional coconut.

Maduvvari is currently on a long-term, exclusive lease from the Maldivian Government to Ocean Ridge Investment who have begun transforming the island into a modern integrated farm.

phased development of the farm

The Company has embarked upon a phased development of the farm in accordance with a farm plan lodged with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, and further guided by the comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment Report undertaken by CDE Consulting, Maldives, and approved by the Ministry of Environment. Under each phase the following will be achieved:-

Phase 1: Open-field farming, building of essential infrastructure including temporary jetty, workers' accommodation & stores, communications systems etc.

Phase 2: Introduction of desalination system to complement the Island's existing aquifer water-source for intensive production of fruit and vegetables using modern hydroponic and micro-irrigation systems.

Phase 3: Farm 'maturation' with its fruit & vegetable output enhanced by the addition of aquaculture, coconut oil production, limited livestock production, and landscape gardening and design services. Additionally, the Company plans to establish a Horticulture Research Centre on the Island to further develop optimum farming methods for Indian Ocean atoll islands, as well as a Marine Research Centre focused upon reef protection and regeneration throughout Lhaviyani Atoll.

To ensure the optimum production desired for the farm, the Company commissioned a detailed Feasibility Report undertaken by expert horticulturalists from the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, one of the leading agricultural institutes in the Region.