Weavers buy hau from the Fiyori community who harvests it and sell it to the mat weavers for
Gadhdhoo and Rathafandhoo mainly. Fiyori is the only island in the Maldives where premium
quality hau or reed is grown. Attempts to cultivate them on other islands in the past have not
yielded any positive results. It is grown in a specific marshland area on Fiyori island. It is hoped
to conserve this ecologically important marshland by the cultivation and sustainable use of the
hau by community members. it is hoped that by the establishment of a sustainable hau market,
more community members will be engaged in the activity and thus ensure continued management
of the marshland. In addition, the traditional knowledge on hau cultivation that that has been
orally passed across generations is under threat of disappearing with the decline in the hau
cultivation. Therefore, in this project it is aimed to document the traditional knowledge
surrounding hau cultivation. Without the availability of hau the mat weaving industry will also
perish.
The project will be implemented in GDh. Fiyori and farmers, women and youth from the
community would be involved in the project. Overall, the project will contribute to protection of
traditional knowledge, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, prevention of
land degradation and promoting sustainability of local businesses through environmental
protection and promotion.