Mauritius: A workshop to finalise the work plan and roadmap for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) African Small Island Developing States (SIDS) programme to bring forth more sustainable agrifood systems opened this morning at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port-Louis.
The Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Maneesh Gobin, was present.
In his keynote address, the Minister underpinned the aim of the elaboration of the work plan and roadmap, which is to share the knowledge, experience and best practices pertaining to the sustainable agrifood system of the six SIDS concerned by the programme, namely Mauritius, Comoros, Guinea Bissau, São Tomé and Principe, Cabo Verde, and Seychelles.
Mr Maneesh Gobin remarked that the common factor among the six SIDS consists of their vulnerability as a SID while outlining the vulnerabilities of Mauritius, including its small size, geographic isolation and being cut off from large production centres.
The Minister recalled that these vulnerabilities were felt in particular during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, Maneesh Gobin spoke of the country’s progress regarding advancing the agenda of sustainable and smart agriculture. He also added that from 2015 up to 2022, the utilisation of pesticides has been halved in Mauritius.
On that score, the Minister stressed that the shift to organic farming should be made gradually by first transiting to sustainable agriculture.
The FAO African SIDS programme
The FAO African SIDS programme is finalising a multisectoral, multi-stakeholder and multidimensional action plan to promote resilient agrifood systems among the SIDS in Africa.
It is through the revitalisation of the Interregional Technical Network (ITN) that this plan is set up and will be implemented at national, regional (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) and interregional (African SIDS) levels.
The ITN is composed of local, national and international specialists from the public and private sectors, civil society, development partners and the media who are interested or working in the fields of agricultural production (agriculture, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture); training and promotion of green and blue jobs, especially for youth and women; agrifood processing; nutrition and public health; education; trade and agri-business; and transportation, among others.