The Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute held a talk on April 27, 2023. The event took place at Hennessy Park Hotel, Ebene. The talk was on the “Seed Potato Value Chain in Mauritius”. The talk was part of the FoodSec-Semence/SANOI regional project.
Participants of the Talk
Mrs Mohinee Nathoo and Mrs M. Seenevassen Pillay attended the workshop. Mrs. Nathoo is the Senior Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security (MAIFS). Mrs Pillay is the Acting Chief Executive Officer of FAREI.
Importance to increase potato ware and potato seed production
Mrs. Pillay spoke about increasing potato ware and potato seed production. This would reduce reliance on imports and enhance food security. Mrs Nathoo discussed various incentives and schemes to boost seed and potato production. She mentioned Mauritius achieved a record production of 21,000 tonnes in 2012. She expressed optimism that the FoodSec-Semence/SANOI regional project would help reach future production goals.
The aim of this Talk
The FoodSec-Semence/SANOI regional project is coordinated by CIRAD and funded by the European Union. The project aims to revive a regional sector of certified seeds of elite plant varieties. The project is part of an effort to enhance food and nutrition security and adapt to climate change.
Potato Seed Value Chain Analysis
The workshop served as a platform for presenting and discuss the findings of the potato seed value chain analysis, which began in 2020. The attendees took part in a brainstorming session to devise an action plan to boost the seed potato subsector’s contribution to the potato value chain. Counterparts in Reunion and Madagascar followed the workshop online.
Attendees of the Talk
Various stakeholders attended the workshop. These included representatives from FAREI, MAIFS, CIRAD, AMB, corporate potato producers, small/medium planters, and dealers. The goal was to improve the contribution of the seed potato sub-sector in the potato value chain.
