Villimale’ community Garden land plots' rent reduction
As of 21st July 2022 during the Male’ City Council’s 60th official meeting it was decided that the rent for the land plots will be reduced from MVR 1000 to MVR 500 per month.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, after being forced indoors, many people found peace and calmness in simple outdoor activities such as gardening. After being hauled up indoors for so long, quiet and mundane activities had started becoming a new trend; which started the frenzy for gardening and plants. Even though it might be a brand new hobby for many, a majority of Maldivians have been masters at gardening for generations. A majority of the smaller islands build around the agriculture industry, and with the new generation finally discovering a love for gardening and plants, for a while everything felt like it was in sync.
While many expected the frenzy for gardening and plants to die down pretty fast, just like all the other pandemic hobbies, this one seems like it is a hobby that is here to stay. With this newfound hobby, however, there was one problem; land for gardening.
On the 23rd of March 2022, however, a solution to this problem came about as the Male’ City Council opened up a community garden in Villimale’. With the aim of empowering the women and youth on the island, the community garden was officially opened numerous varieties of fruit trees and flowering plants and 30 public plots. The rest of the plots were up for rent for MVR 1000 per month. The community garden was built in a manner that the crops produced in the garden can be put on the market to be sold so that a profit can be made by those who own the land plot.
Even with a big love for gardening, MVR 1000 per month might be an excessive amount for many to pay. However, this amount did not remain intact. As of 21st July 2022 during the Male’ City Council’s 60th official meeting it was decided that the rent for the land plots will be reduced from MVR 1000 to MVR 500 per month. This decision was reached after the idea was submitted by Counsellor Ibrahim Shujau and was supported by the majority of those who partook in the meeting.
