Council approves cultivation of medicinal plants on vacant land

The Malé City Council has approved a proposal to cultivate plants used in traditional Maldivian medicine, known as Dhivehi Beys, on vacant plots across the capital.

The decision was taken during the council's meeting on Wednesday.

The proposal was initially presented by Mayor Adam Azim, who suggested using open areas within the city's cemeteries to grow medicinal plants.

During the discussion, several councillors raised concerns about establishing plantations within active burial grounds without a clear management and maintenance framework.

According to the mayor, practitioners of traditional Maldivian medicine have reported difficulties in obtaining fresh medicinal herbs and leaves in the Malé area. He said that available vacant land within the city is limited and that cemetery grounds were among the few locations with sufficient space.

The mayor also noted that consultations had not identified any religious restrictions on cultivating such plants within cemetery premises. He pointed to available space within Galolhu Cemetery as a possible location.

However, councillors expressed reservations about using burial grounds for the initiative.

Among the concerns raised were:

Councillors argued that any cultivation programme should be carried out on land managed directly by the council to ensure public access and oversight.

Following the discussion, councillors approved an amended proposal to grow medicinal plants on vacant plots outside cemetery grounds and under the supervision of the Malé City Council.

The amended proposal was passed unanimously by the councillors present at the meeting.

The council has not yet announced which locations will be selected for the programme or when cultivation will begin.

The initiative is intended to improve access to plants used in traditional Maldivian medicine and address concerns about the availability of such resources in the capital.