SUSTAINABLE FARMING INITIATIVES IN MAURITIUS
Mahen Seeruttun emphasizes the importance of sustainable husbandry techniques in producing healthy products. The United Planetary assigns Millennium Improvement Objectives to be achieved by 2030, including sustainable farming. The Ministry of Agro-industry in Mauritius promotes eco-friendly farming to reduce chemical use and carbon footprint. Minister Seeruttun reports that 50 agronomists have already adopted this approach, with plans for widespread adoption by 2030.
what is the current food status?
Bio-farming in Mauritius focuses on land and biodiversity, enhancing food quality and safety. Traditional growers are gradually transitioning to bio-production, using bio-fertilisers and pesticides. Enterprises are beginning to produce organic food products.
trends in food production(january 2015 to date)
Fifteen bio-food growers are currently catering to niche markets in Mauritius. Dr. Subhas Palekar is promoting Zero Budget Natural Farming, leading more fruit and vegetable farmers to transition to it. Overall, the country now dedicates 17 arpents of land to organic farming.
government initiatives and scheme
In May 2016, the Ministry introduced the Bio Farming Promotion Scheme to encourage bio-farming practices. The scheme provides eligible growers with financial and fiscal support such as duty-free imports, an income tax holiday for the first eight years, and low-interest loan options.
transitioning to organic farming
The scheme promotes the use of compost over chemicals by giving subsidies. So far, 3,300 agronomists have benefited from it. It encourages a shift towards organic farming. We implemented a Sheltered Farming Scheme to promote agronomists who are growing crops under protected structures, reducing their reliance on agrochemicals. Currently, 68 agronomists are benefiting from this initiative. We have released a plot of over 66 arpents at Britannia on State Land for exclusive off-farming use. It is equipped with structures like a medication workshop and irrigation installations.
support services and training
Training and specialized backing will make support services available to implicit promoters of bi-farming food product structures.
future goals and objectives
Can our food product become 100 Memories? Government’s Budget 2015 aimed to create 50 unique food products following regulations five times, fostering farming through Ministry initiatives.
training and technical assisstance
a) Ministry and FAREI are establishing effective organizational structures to provide specialized support and improve access to the Bio Farming Scheme for growers.
b) FAREI is developing a training package on MauriGap Level 1 Standard to promote bio husbandry. They are currently providing training to 240 growers.
c) The demonstration plot on state land at Bois Marchand is showcasing zero-budget natural husbandry techniques.
( d) The FAO will continue to fund a Technical Cooperation Assistance Programme in Mauritius to promote organic husbandry and strengthen institutional capacity. The FAO will assist the Ministry in creating legislation and marketing strategies.
transitioning to bio-farming practices
My Ministry supports this project aiming to transition from chemical-heavy farming to bio-farming practices. We focus on ensuring quality assurance and specialized support to provide safe and healthy fruits and vegetables.
impact on market prices
- A growing demand is increasing prices of imported food products compared to traditional options.
- The Ministry, with FAO support, is investigating the pricing of bio food products to ensure fair pricing and proper labeling.
- Establishing a pricing strategy will increase production and certification of bio foods, ultimately lowering prices for consumers.
natural nutrients sources
Ordure was traditionally used as a nutrient source in farming, along with chemical fertilizers. However, as farmers adopt bio-farming methods, ordure is now the primary nutrient source for crops. In Zero Budget Natural Farming, cow dung is used as a natural soil enricher.
Alternative ingredients for bio-farming
In Zero Budget Natural Farming, farmers utilize various breeds of cows to enrich the soil naturally with cow dung and urine. They also use cow urine to make natural fungicides called concoctions. These farming techniques include mixed cropping, mulching for weed control, less use of synthetic fertilizers, improved soil fertility, and enhanced physical labour. Imported bio-pesticide products and parasitoids are available locally for biological control of pests in crop production with support from FAREI.FAREI supports the availability of locally imported bio-pesticide products and parasitoids for actively controlling pests in crop production.
