resilient island

Growing a fruitful future

OUR MALDIVES MATTER PROJECT

WORLD’S FIRST SELF-SUFFICIENT GREENHOUSE PROJECT IN A TROPICAL LOWLAND CLIMATE
Maldives Matter Project will be the only food production facility that produces crops with high quality and consistency which currently cannot be grown locally in isolates areas in an era of increasing vulnerability of the SIDS.

Local Food Production

Aiming for a shorter food supply chain and maintaining high quality crops and deliver consistency.

Self-sufficiency

Combining existing techniques to generate sustainable electricity and water, and therefore making the greenhouse work self-sufficient.

Community

Raising independency by knowledge transfer through education, and creating employment opportunities for the local community.

OUR OFFICIAL PARTNERS

About Resilient Island

We aim to implement circular economies regarding food and waste streams in the world’s most isolated regions: the Small Island Developing States. By realizing local and sustainable food production, generating renewable energy, creating circular food and waste streams, up-cycling materials, conducting a knowledge transfer and enhancing the local economy by providing jobs, we try to bring more independency.

Because we believe that the Small Island Development States should be fully self-sufficient and be able to grow towards their own clean, fruitful and sustainable future.

Meet our team

Melchior Bos

Co-founder / Legal and Finance
melchior.bos@resilientisland.com

Sebastiaan Brouwer

Co-founder / Chairman and External Affairs
sebastiaan.brouwer@resilientisland.com

Stan van Stralen

Co-founder / Technical Parties
stan.vanstralen@resilientisland.com

Thomas Edes

Co-founder / Horticulture
thomas.edes@resilientisland.com

Trang Phan

Co-founder / Social and Marketing
trang.phan@resilientisland.com

Carlijn Geerse

Greenhouse Technician carlijn.geerse@resilientisland.com

Carmen Jansen op de Haar

Horticulture Researcher carmen.jansenodh@resilientisland.com

Kelly Wong

Brand Strategist
kelly.wong@resilientisland.com

Vera Baerveldt

Sociocultural Implementor
vera.baerveldt@resilientisland.com

Jessie-Lynn van Egmond

Environmental Engineering

Wietse de Haan

External Project Member / BATS
wietse.dehaan@resilientisland.com

Former team members:

Esther van der Ent
Wessel de Graaf
Quinten Pijpers

Advisory board

Aishath Azfa

Sustainable Development Consultant

Amit Parulekar

Former Global Head of Finance at ABN AMRO Bank N.V.

Martien Duijndam

Grower / Owner of Duijndam Greenconsult

Raymond Pijpers

Managing Director Accenture

Remco Beekman

(Corporate) Lawyer

Rob Baan

Owner and CEO Koppert Cress

Rolf de Jong

Senior Agronomist at LLC Greenhouse

current research

Baa Atoll Transfer Station (BATS)

An additional project on the waste management issue in the Maldives. The development of a waste transfer station on the Baa Atoll as the solution.

Prototype and lettuce grow test

Currently, Resilient Island is working on realizing a prototype of the semi-closed greenhouse with the size of 40 m². This greenhouse will hold a lettuce grow test, where many different species of lettuce are recorded under the controlled climate environment. This research is in collaboration with our partners.

Previous research

Maldivian waste and agricultural issue (TU Delft)
Market survey
Tomato test in the Maldives
Grow Circular Consultancy (Wageningen University & Research)
Top Consortia for Knowledge and Innovation
Green Juniors (Hogeschool InHolland)
SIB trajectory

what the media says

frequently asked questions

How can I help the Resilient Island?

We’re always on the lookout for people with expertise suitable for realizing this project and people or parties eager to collaborate with us. Do you have expertise and/or financial funds to get us through the first stage; and are willing to help the world? Contact us! Towards anyone else: spread the word!

Why us?

As people with a background in architectural engineering we have always learned to tackle complex problems in an creative and solution-driven approach. After actually visiting the Maldives during a research trip, we couldn’t possibly ignore the affection towards these problems.
The solution-driven approach is something we were educated in. This we put into practice by tackling issues at their core, not just fighting their symptoms.
We strive towards a direct effect. What distinguishes us from conventional companies and organisations is that we’re unbound and therefore have a fresh and different approach. We strive towards a better world.

What’s your approach – Bottom up or top down?

We think both ways are crucial for the project.
Bottom up: Social implementation, endorsement and willingness from the local communities are crucial. Their wishes and demands are essential part of the project.Top down: Secondly we also work with the (national) government and further stakeholders in the Maldives and abroad. Top parties like these are also needed to realise such a project.
Participation and partnership with stakeholders on all levels are what make an integral solution like this possible.

Isn’t a greenhouse used for cold climates, instead of the Maldivian warm climate?

Greenhouses exist in all types of climate: From the cold Russian climate to Australian deserts. The greenhouse is a means to create a (climate) controlled environment, suited for the crops being grown. Since the Maldives does not have a climate suited for the crops that being consumed, we aim to create that condition: a greenhouse.

What about climate risks?

Warm weather, flooding and storms are part of the context in which the greenhouse is designed. Obviously this influences the decision making for the location, building-materials and design. With a background in Architecture (architectural engineering) this is exactly what our team is trained for. Together with technical parties and local parties we’re working hard on this challenge. To be honest: that’s part of what makes this project fun.

Why isn't this idea not realized yet?

The current rich tourism industry holds a consistent import of food, thus why they don’t see an urgent demand. However, we believe that this can happen more sustainable, healthier and cheaper.

Aren't you competing with the local food production?

No! With our greenhouse we will grow fruits and vegetables of high quality that they cannot grow with the current climate. So instead of importing these fruits and vegetables we will grow them locally.

Could you elaborate on job creation?

The Maldivian community has been involved in the project from the very beginning, on all levels: Island councils, national government, local stakeholders, job-creators and island communities. Their wishes are represented and are considered as a crucial part of the project. The Maldives Matter Project makes direct impact by creating many jobs, mostly directly related to work in, and around the greenhouse. Proliferating in other sectors such as transport and managerial jobs. It’s the local communities that will benefit from created jobs, enhancing SDG 1 and SDG 8. Generating new jobs, and improving existing jobs is part of creating a fruitful future for the Maldives and other Small Island Developing States.

What will the Maldives look like in 50 years?

Maldivian landscape is ever changing. Sea-level rise is something the Maldives are familiar with. Luckily, the government is investing in safe-islands and other measures. If it’s up to us, in 50 years the country has its own sustainable food production, catering to the always important tourism sector. Al the while managing and processing its solid waste sustainably: from waste to wealth. Being inhabited by its people, protected and living in climate-resilient communities.The Maldives will be the ultimate showcase in regards of circular economy, sustainable food production and a closed solid waste management loop for all island states: a resilient island

What are the next steps for the Maldives Matter Project?

We worked on an investment proposal and currently we’re looking for investors who are interested in our investment plan.

Don't hesitate, contact us!

Address:
Makkersstraat 3
3111AL Schiedam
The Netherlands

Inside the Sodafabriek

Email us @: info@resilientisland.com

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