Soneva has launched an online course, Tropical Organic Gardening, aimed at teaching people how to grow food in a tropical country like the Maldives. The course is a perfect beginner’s guide on how to grow food, whether it is on a small balcony in Male’, in a back garden, or on a bigger sized plot of land.
The 10 episodes in Tropical Organic Gardening, filmed at Soneva Fushi in Baa Atoll, cover topics from preparing a growing space, planting, maintenance and harvesting, with additional episodes focused on enhancing the quality of vegetables.
The tutorial seeks to help anyone, who may be self-isolating because of the coronavirus, grow nutritious vegetables at home, while also learning to make compost. Each of the videos is hosted by Justin Robertshaw, Soneva’s Waste-to Wealth Manager.
The tutorials are part of the Soneva Namoona project, which is a partnership between Soneva, the islands of Maalhos, Kihaadhoo and, Dharavandhoo, and Commons Seas (an international NGO).
The course was released on Soneva Namoona social media platforms on 05 July. Viewers will be able to send in questions directly to the gardening team at Soneva Fushi via Facebook and Instagram.
I hope this timely online tutorial results in more healthy, nutritious food being grown locally in the Maldives. The Soneva Namoona partnership aims to help island communities become exemplary in waste management, reducing single-use plastics, and fostering a love for the environment
Sonu Shivdasani, Soneva’s CEO and Co-Founder.
All the methods and techniques covered in the episodes draw from the expertise of Soneva’s Hosts (employees) and existing practices from the organic gardens at Soneva Fushi. The topics covered in the 10 videos are:
- Introduction
- Preparing a raised bed
- Potting
- Seeds and planting
- Companion planting
- Regular care and maintenance
- Harvesting
- Pest control
- Composting
- Worm farms
Growing your own food is the best way to ensure you’re eating the most organic, freshest and nutritious food – it’s also fun and a good way to relax, slow down and connect with nature. That makes it healthy, both inside and out. With the COVID-19 pandemic, taking better care of your health has become even more of a priority for many people
Justin Robertshaw, Soneva Fushi’s Waste-to-Wealth Manager
Soneva Namoona is an initiative inspired by the Soneva philosophy that waste is a valuable asset. Namoona meaning ‘exemplary’ in Dhivehi is our aim for this partnership with local islands. The initiative is a partnership between three local islands (Maalhos, Dharavandhoo and Kihaadhoo), Soneva, marine plastic foundation Common Seas, to create a prototype that could reimagine waste management in the Maldives: Reduce, Recycle, Inspire.
At the heart of the initiative is Reduce, a radical reduction in the volume of plastic arriving on the islands. Soneva assisted the council of Maalhos to establish a water bottling plant that desalinates and mineralises sea water before bottling it in reusable glass bottles, using the same system as the water served to guests at Soneva resorts.
Recycling and responsible disposal of waste forms the second strand of the programme. Soneva recycles or reuses 90 per cent of resort waste at their Eco Centro waste management centres. Maalhos is the first island to open a Soneva-sponsored Eco Centro with upgraded machinery that will include a wood chipper and a glass crusher.
The third component is to Inspire a love of the ocean and the local environment. The belief is that through water sports, education and festivities that children will lose their fear of the ocean and learn to love it. If they love it, they are more likely to protect it. With a nod to both the inspiration of teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and the response to plastic waste from the global surfing community, Soneva is nurturing a new generation of ocean stewards.
