Resilient Island

At this moment, millions of kilos of vegetables and fruits are shipped towards remote areas in the world. This results not only in a huge quality decrease of these, most fragile, products, but also dependency on foreign countries and high CO2 emissions from the long supply chain. By bringing Dutch horticultural techniques to these areas, vegetables and fruits could be produced locally and with high quality. By producing food locally on the Small Island Development States, a first step will be set in the reduction of import which will lead towards higher quality produce, a significant reduction of emissions, a more self-sufficient and therefore resilient island. If our solution would be scaled globally, communities in countries that now rely on food import can become more resilient. To reach this goal our first project starts in the Maldives, called the Maldives Matter Project.

Currently, the Maldives import 95% of its food, including vegetables and fruits, for its high-end tourism market. The market demands different types, consistency of delivery, and more importantly, high-quality crops that currently cannot be (fully) matched by Maldivian farmers. Therefore, 68 million kilos of fruits and vegetables are imported from different countries every year. The many travel miles result in high CO₂ emissions however the amount of CO 2 emission that can be prevented with our greenhouse per year is 470.000 kg of CO2. This equals the emissions of 100 passenger cars per year. A related problem is the packaging required for the 68 million kg yearly imported fruits and vegetables. These problems all indicate the need for local food production. World-leading Dutch horticulture technology offers the perfect solution to these problems. This orchestrates the perfect solution for these problems: a greenhouse, where the indoor-climate can be controlled, and thus desired crops can grow. So even on the Maldives, where the external climate is unsuitable and fertile soil is scarce, fresh crops can be produced. The Maldives Matter Project, therefore aims to realize a self-sufficient greenhouse to produce year-round high-quality crops that currently need to be imported.

The different problems: quality loss, high (transport) costs, high CO2 emissions all indicate the need for local food production. From the 68 million kilos of imported fruits and vegetables, approximately 10.5 million kilos can be produced locally with our greenhouse project. We could produce an output of 140.000 kilos tomatoes and 400.000 kilos of lettuce yearly. World-leading Dutch horticulture technology offers the perfect solution to these problems. This orchestrates the perfect solution for these problems: a high-tech greenhouse, where the indoor-climate can be controlled, and thus desired crops can grow. So even on the Maldives, where the external climate is unsuitable and fertile soil is scarce, fresh crops can be produced. We aim to realize a self-sufficient greenhouse to produce year-round high-quality crops that currently need to be imported. With the MMP, transportation emissions and packaging waste will be reduced substantially while tackling the problems of crop-quality and consistency. Not only does the greenhouse provide protection against external influences, it creates an admirable environment for crops to flourish since temperature, humidity, nutrition and other factors can be optimized for the specific crop types: making it an ideal solution for the problems of the high-end Maldivian tourism industry.

Launching resort clients are our main target group. Most notable is the urgency demonstrated by executive chefs on the resorts. Virtually all chefs worked in other countries and were discontent with the unfavorable Maldivian logistics and the effect on their ingredients. Not uncommon was the sigh of relief from these chefs when they heard someone would be providing local produce. Passionate French executive chefs, expressively explaining the troubles they currently must go through to get decent fruits and vegetables still spring to mind. Our greenhouse will supply the resorts with high quality and fresh products directly through our own transport network. Besides the enthusiasm of the resorts, there was a willingness from not just local governments, but also the communities. This is because we will create careers for the local inhabitants and we will provide an education plan. At this moment, mostly men are working in the resorts and we also want to give females a chance to work in our greenhouse. There isn’t much knowledge about agriculture on the Maldives and we want to improve that to increase resiliency within the community.

What Resilient Island can deliver is local, sustainable and high-quality vegetables and fruits for the Maldivian tourism market by designing, developing and operating a greenhouse project, specific for the island states. The MMP has a high chance of becoming the largest producer of fruits and vegetables within the Maldives in a three-year time frame, with ambitions to initiate other successive projects in the Maldives. Together, we create jobs for the Maldivians, share knowledge on global scale, fight against climate change by reducing the ecological footprint and stimulate the growth of the local economy and innovative capacity.

The greenhouse will work self-sufficiently and therefore the facilities will generate its own desired electricity and water as sustainable as possible. Existing techniques are used (for food-, water- and energy production, cooling etc.), but the combination of existing techniques in an isolated location makes the greenhouse project a first of its kind. Please note that the greenhouse design is still prone to changes that can influence the production and demand numbers for supporting facilities. The greenhouse produce competes with import products, therefore it has a social and economic advantage over these competitors.  Furthermore, it does not compete with local farmers but enhances their practices since agricultural knowledge is transmitted to the country. Maldives Matter project wants to have an exemplary role in the topic of innovation. This is something that Resilient Island achieves by pioneering and sharing our local knowledge on technology with the world.We have an intrinsic motivation to improve the quality of life for the people of the island states, protect the natural beauty of these countries and enhance local knowledge stimulation in highly productive food production. This way the people of the island states will get the most amount of food out of their scarce land. We are with a team of ten people who have all been working pro bono publico for the past two years to achieve our dream to create local, sustainable and high-quality food production for the island states.

A high tech greenhouse cools the temperature to enable crop growth. The greenhouse will be semi-closed and adiabatic cooling. A containerized desalination plant will provide the needed 82 m3 freshwater per day. And has the potential to produce up to 100 m3 daily if needed. The energy production needed for the greenhouse will be generated via solar power. The greenhouse has a demand of 3000 kWh per day. Because of its remote location, all needed energy has to be produced on site. This is done with 5500 m2 solar panels, of which one third can be mounted on the greenhouse roof. Furthermore, a backup diesel generator will be present to ensure power at all times. Cooling of the greenhouse is done with a pad-fan installation. Seawater is pumped through a ‘pad’ where a fan blows the evaporative cooler air through the greenhouse. Hydroponics is a method where crops are grown in a water-based solution, making fertile agriculture soil redundant. Hydroponics has the advantage that the crops can be monitored and controlled  are full, increasing the yield drastically compared to traditional open-field agriculture. Furthermore, hydroponics uses roughly 10 times less water than open-field farming. Two types of hydroponic-systems are implemented in the greenhouse: a semi-automated system for the lettuce types and leafy greens and a gutter-system for tomato-plants and soft fruits.

Horticultural technology is being practiced all around the world in different climate zones. Nowadays, with the improvement of this technology, it is feasible to implement this technology in hot climates and even make it completely energy independent. A specially designed greenhouse for island-states enables food production through the use of hydroponics and different methods of cooling whilst running on renewable energy sources. This can be done off-grid, meaning it provides for its own energy and water. Exemplary of this tech is the Sundrop Farms in Australia, located in a remote and dry area, which uses seawater for cooling, produces its own freshwater and runs on solar energy. 

 https://www.sundropfarms.com/

The Netherlands is a world leader in vegetable production in greenhouses, it has top-notch technologies to produce vegetables of the highest quality. These technologies will allow MMP to provide the resorts with high quality, fresh produce by implementing Dutch horticulture knowledge and exporting the knowledge and technology to the Maldives. This is possible through endorsement and cooperation by several leading Dutch horticulture companies. and exporting the knowledge and technology to the Maldives. Our targeted market is the Maldivian resort industry (29.977 beds, in the year 2017) due to its size and demand for a high standard of non-locally grown food. To get a better understanding of this demand and determine the size of the market a market analysis was done by Resilient Island in collaboration with our local partners. This market analysis was conducted with two research methods: quantitative research, through a questionnaire that reached twelve accommodations in the Maldives and qualitative research, where we interviewed different management levels and staff of resorts in person during a business trip in 2019. In total, we gathered data of 12% of the resort market within the Maldives during the research. From the research, we concluded that there is indeed a high demand for high-quality lettuce, tomatoes and soft fruits. These types of fruits and vegetables are most prone to being damaged during transport, and long transport times negatively impact the remaining shelflife. Theoretical calculations one expected yield by third-party greenhouse-building company and a consulting rapport from the University of Wageningen on this specific project and consults from our Dutch partners, Maldivian partners and advisory board all influence the project in it’s developing stages. Small similar projects, such as a tomato-growing test in the Maldives have been conducted with the help of the Maldivian ministry in order to strengthen collaboration with them besides the primary goals of reaching a plant-length of over 2 meters. In person conversations with Maldivian governmental institutions, executive board in the tourism industry, potential investors, businesses in both the Maldives and the Netherlands all serve as input for the project and lay the foundations for future collaboration.

Currently the project is in it’s developing phase. Therefore we do not serve any people yet. 

In one year our solution will be finishing it’s construction. Therefore six potential Maldivian growers will be educated in the Netherlands/France. They will be educated in collaboration with a third party in greenhouse cultivation techniques for at least six weeks. The following year the 16 other employees will start their jobs in and around the greenhouse with spill-over jobs. The following year, over 22 people directly with jobs in and around the greenhouse with several spill over jobs. 

In five years the greenhouse will running on a 100% practical yieldrate (keep in mind, this is still lower than theoretical yieldrates) and can has the output to serve roughly 61 resorts with lettuce and tomatoes. With a 20% market share in fresh tomatoes, and 45% marketshare in lettuce. The number of employees of the greenhouse and related businesses can be expanded since now energyproduction from organic waste will be part of the business. Furthermore, the initial greenhouse serves as a pilotcase and expansion to other islands with similar greenhouses is possible. Essentially doubling the impact in absolute numbers.

The next step will be to explore new products and market regions within the Maldives, and expand our business by developing other facilities. This way MMP could expand to the whole Maldives as a market and show the potential for sustainable businesses.  In 2024, MMP is a worldwide exemplary role for sustainable agriculture on island states. Not only does the project display the future of localized agriculture, but it also shows the opportunities for creating circular businesses and the social benefits that are involved. By means of retrieving now discarded organic waste for biogas production, reducing import dependency, improving quality of food by producing within the country of consumption and providing job opportunities for both men but also women and not having to fully rely on plastic packaging. MMP offers jobs, horticultural education specific to greenhouse in similar contexts, and improved infrastructure for the island. The local food production also decreases dependence on outside sources, thereby increasing its resilience. MMP is a recognized brand as part of Resilient Island throughout the resorts and local communities in the Maldives. In 2028, the MMP project serves as a blueprint and can be rolled out to other parts of the Maldives and the 56 other SIDS.

Currently, the chaotic situation caused by COVID-19 can be perceived as a barrier to the project since the tourism industry is heavily impacted by this pandemic. However, simultaneously the Maldivian government are now seeing the urge of and supporting the local food production more than ever. Being resilient has become of great importance and an urgent challenge in these times. This ambiguous matter will exist coming year(s) in our project in terms of financial (finding investors) and market (demand from the tourism industry). COVID-19 essentially puts the Maldivian tourism industry (and therefor talks with our potential investors) on the back burner for a few months. Fortunately, early estimates mention the Maldives being opened for tourism starting in summer 2020. Nevertheless, we believe that the situation will eventually also raise crucial questions and considerations on local food production and creating resiliency. 

Inherent in development projects such as this one is the need for an investor. Obtaining an investor is imperative for the project to succeed. Our target group regarding these parties are business in the Maldivian tourism industry. Our team not operating from the Netherlands, and not from the Maldives itself therefore may experience this logistical barrier sometimes. The cultural barrier comes into play when working together with stakeholders on a smaller level (island councils, local community and working with the Maldivian government).

Though the COVID-19 has put some progress in the Maldives on the backburner, the Maldives has plans to open the country for tourism again in the foreseeable future. Currently the importance of local food production is more visible. The Maldivian government has acted by shifting it’s focus within it’s Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture more towards agriculture. Beneficial for the project since collaborations on currently implemented logistical and distribution networks are possible. 

Obtaining one or several investors are imperative for the project to succeed. Though the COVID-19 has put our contact with two potential investors on the backburner for now we are continuing to expand and search for investors. 

Because of inherent cultural differences between the Maldives and the Netherlands we have had involvements from similar minded Maldivian stakeholders and people from the very start of the project. A close relationship with our Maldivian advisor and a close partnership with a Maldivian NGO have so far proven to greatly improve the project. Advice and introductions to relevant parties (from island councils up to the state minister) are just one example. We aim to strengthen our relations with likeminded individuals within the Maldives in the future.

5 full time staff (co-founders)

5/6 part time staff 

7 advisors

4 partner companies?

Technical background from TU Delft. Problem-solving attitude is what has resulted from this education trajectory. A young and ambitious team that is not afraid to challenge themselves. We have a  future-oriented/innovative mindset and we want to contribute to the well-being of our planet and people. Based in the Netherlands, where state-of-the-art horticulture can be found. During the whole process of a few years, enthusiasts who share the same vision and aspiration joined our journey and formed an executive board and a board of advisory to position ourselves even stronger thanks to every individual’s expertise.

Hoogendoorn is known as the most innovative supplier of process automation solutions in the horticultural industry. For over 50 years they have been striving to optimize greenhouse climate, increase crop yields and manage costs and risks in greenhouse horticulture. Hoogendoorn’s automation solutions contribute to the sustainable use of water and energy and are available in several languages.  The products are supported with the customer portal Hoogendoorn Online, the user training, the 24/7 helpdesk and reliable maintenance service, provided via local offices and a worldwide partner network.

LetsGrow.com is the online platform for registration and analyses of all climate and management information within the horticulture. Combining the data from climate computers, plant data and images, makes LetsGrow.com the most powerful tool for the complete horticulture, from flowers to vegetables.

Live & Learn Environmental Education is a learning network of nine locally registered non-governmental organisations in the Asia and South Pacific region. The aim of Live & Learn is to reduce poverty and advance sustainable development through education and learning. Their priority is to support communities in sustaining their environments by improving practice. Poverty reduction and quality of life are two issues central to all our approaches.

"The Van der Knaap Group aims to deliver sustainable and high-quality products and services in rooting and growing media for the international horticulture market. The products and services provided by the Van der Knaap Group can help growers to achieve a socially and economically responsible outcome."

With this first greenhouse project, we aim to supply half of the market with our primary products (two types of lettuce), and a smaller share of the market with tomatoes. Resorts closely affiliated with the greenhouse will become our beachhead market. Once MMP has this market, we can expand to the other resorts that are within reach from the greenhouse location and distribute even further through wholesalers in Male’.  Different arrangements will be made with wholesalers to be able to sell the remaining products. This increase of market share will go in parallel with the optimization of the production of the greenhouse which takes about two to three years and the growth of the market. Most of the funding for the project will be supplied by investors and through loans taken out from banks and investors. Funds will be used to build the greenhouse project and start the exploitation of the greenhouse. Once the greenhouse is built, exploitation will start. The profits will be used to run the greenhouse, pay a dividend to investors and donate to Resilient Island Foundation. Based on the technologies used in the greenhouse and the experience of our head grower, we estimate to reach at least 50% of our optimal yield in the first year, meaning we will make a profit from the first year on. Resorts closely affiliated with the greenhouse will become our beachhead market.

The aim is to let the greenhouse be fully run by Maldivian people. During the first three months of the operating phase of the greenhouse, there will be a tight collaboration between executive Maldivian growers and Dutch grower(s) coaches. These executive Maldivian growers will first be provided with an education trajectory that will partly take place in the Netherlands to teach Maldivian growers the essential hydroponics techniques and the greenhouse know-how in a direct way. The Dutch growers will have an intensive coaching role in the start-up phase. Solve can help us to get this education traject started. Once it has started the rest will be easier. Besides educating the local people we want to fulfill a pilot test to get more information about the technical, horticultural and social aspects of the greenhouse. Also setting up the pilot greenhouse is one of the things that solve could help us with. We want solve to help us because we we create jobs for the Maldivians, share knowledge on global scale, fight against climate change by reducing the ecological footprint and stimulate the growth of the local economy and innovative capacity.

The crops in our greenhouse need a lot of fresh water, nevertheless it’s not naturally in the Maldives that you have fresh water everywhere. The Maldives consist of approximately 1200 small islands with enough salt water around them and often polluted water on the islands. We do have technologies to get our fresh water, but we're curious about other ways to see if they are more sustainable. That’s why we want to come in contact with Wave2O, they said ‘seawater desalination is an excellent potential solution, but desalination systems require a connection to a strong and reliable electrical grid for their power supply.’

Freedom House declared the Maldives "Partly Free", claiming a reform process that had made headway in 2009 and 2010 had stalled. The United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor claims in their 2012 report on human rights practices in the country that the most significant problems are corruption, lack of religious freedom, and abuse and unequal treatment of women. Women are not always taken as seriously in jobs, especially on local islands. Besides, most men are going to other islands to work in resorts etc. Women are forced to stay on their local island and look out for the kids. With our project, we give these women the opportunity to work on their own island. Besides they get the possibility to get educated on the subject horticulture.

We are in business to improve the world, thus measuring the impact of the project is an important aspect. The urge to make this impact is supported by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), created by the United Nations.These SDGs are our impact framework. The impact is divided into three categories: people, planet, and profit. Impact: Sustainable Development Goals

People (SDGs 1, 4, 11)
MMP strives to improve the resiliency of the Maldives and to empower the local communities. The latter is supported by our belief that the people of the SIDS deserve their own clean, fruitful and sustainable future. Hence, Resilient Island offers opportunities for the locals by: Providing 20 direct jobs and several spill over jobs. The intention of Resilient Island is to employ Maldivians for the greenhouse, thus providing the island with job opportunities. This means directly contributing to an estimated 20 jobs in and around the greenhouse facility and indirectly creating several more in related facilities and fi elds. Raising independence of the local community through knowledge transfer. The greenhouse does not compete with local farmers, but instead Resilient Island desires to help them broaden their knowledge. Dutch horticulture expertise is imported in the Maldives which
enables a new sector to develop. To stimulate this, MMP will set up an education program for Maldivians. With this education track, people can be educated to work in a greenhouse and on open-air agriculture. We work together with the Maldivian Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, technical partners Hoogendoorn and Let’s Grow and the local NGO Live & Learn.

Planet (SDGs 7, 11, 12, 13)
Resilient Island perceives the SIDS, including the Maldives, as vulnerable isolated places in the world that are directly facing climate change such as sea-level rise. We take this climate crisis serious and therefore the MMP aims to contribute to a sustainable future for these islands by: Reducing food transport distance: from > 1000 km to <100 km The MMP greenhouse reduces greenhouse gas emissions by cutting transport distances while it also greatly improves the food quality that results in a decrease of food spoilage.
Replacing unsustainable food packaging. Crops will be shipped in reusable crates instead of single use styrofoam boxes. Thus, MMP will provide the resorts with a sustainable alternative for packaging to their current products.
Generating renewable and clean energy. The greenhouse will use power that is collected from solar energy on facilities of the greenhouse, these solar installations are also installed by Resilient Island. Moreover, the biodigester, later implemented in the project, is a fundamental facility which turns organic waste into energy and CO2 input for the greenhouse.

Profit (SDGs 8, 9)
We want to support the responsible travellers in the world. Especially since the tourism industry is of great importance for the country’s gross domestic product. Since MMP aims to be self-suffi cient, we believe that the project’s sustainability goes beyond the environmental aspect. It needs to be sustainable in every way, so this means not being dependent on external funding and subsidies. Economic growth. Since MMP produce will compete with imported products, outgoing cash fl ows can be converted into the country. In other words, money gets injected into the local economy.
Enhancing innovative capacity. MMP wants to have an exemplary role on the topic of innovation. This is something that Resilient Island achieves by pioneering and sharing our local knowledge on technology with the world.