New Grants for Climate Adaptation
The Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security, along with the European Union, awarded grants to the University of Mauritius, the Irrigation Authority, and the Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture. These three-year projects aim to promote climate-smart agriculture among smallholders in Mauritius and Rodrigues. As a result, they focus on boosting climate resilience in these communities.
EU Commitment to Climate Resilience
EU Ambassador Marjaana Sall emphasized the EU’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and its strong partnership with Mauritius in fighting climate change. Similarly, Minister Mahen Kumar Seeruttun highlighted Mauritius’ vulnerability to climate change. He stressed the urgent need to adopt climate-smart practices to safeguard the country’s food security.
Climate-Smart Agriculture Projects
Three grants totaling over 50 million Rupees have been awarded for various initiatives. First, the Belle Mare Climate-Smart Agriculture Village focuses on enhancing resilience, food security, and poverty alleviation. Second, the project on Improving Resilience of Small Holders aims to mitigate climate impacts on small farmers. Finally, the Transition to Agro-Ecological Systems promotes climate-resilient cropping in Mauritius. Additionally, these grants build on an earlier 40 million Rupees grant to Rodrigues, all funded by the EU’s Global Climate Change Alliance Flagship Initiative (GCCA+).
Impact and Future Collaboration
These initiatives aim to enhance water availability, introduce new technologies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and boost smallholder incomes, all in alignment with Mauritius’ commitments under the Paris Agreement.
EU-Mauritius Climate Partnership
The EU and Mauritius are strengthening their climate cooperation through policy dialogue, capacity-building, and financial support. Upcoming ministerial-level discussions will further solidify this partnership. Additionally, the EU is supporting Mauritius in greening the tourism industry and promoting sustainable practices across sectors such as transport, energy, and agriculture.
