International training network for tropical plant health management

International training network for tropical plant health management

 

The main goal of this exploratory project funded by Agropolis foundation is to build an international network for training and higher education in tropical plant health management. This network would aim to promote research, innovation and transfer to reduce the impact of major pests on major tropical crops by environment friendly control methods.

The specific objectives are (i) to build-up a network of universities in the Indian Ocean to better coordinate their actions in the field of plant protection training and (ii) to create links with European Universities, such as Montpellier SupAgro, University of Montpellier 2, University of Louvain, also involved in tropical crop management trainings and education and with African initiatives such as “Proveg” (Western and Central Africa) and BecA (Kenya) in the field of plant protection.

The proposed international network will be then a collaborative effort among multiple universities and research units to promote growth of the plant health management profession through training of undergraduate and graduate students in the field. This project is an opportunity to formalize and strength this network and to increase the involvement of higher education in the field of plant health in developed and developing countries.

Press Interview - 100 years of FoA

Read the press interview of Mr Kamlesh Boodhoo which appeared on 24 Oct 2014.

The 42nd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling at the FAO, Rome Italy

Mrs B.Esha Aumjaud, academic staff at Department of Agricultural & Food Science
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius, was at the FAO of the UN Headquarters in Rome, to represent Mauritius at the 42nd session of the Codex Meeting on Food Labelling, from 20th October 2014 to 24th October 2014.. She reported that the FAO HQ reflects Excellence, Respect, Values through Science, Art and Culture. The meeting was exemplary in terms of Chairmanship and Secretariat with 140 participating countries. The Chair had a colossal task, like the Colosseum! The set-up was similar to United Nations meetings. Mauritius did make a few interventions to voice out our position and proposal with respect to issues raised during the meeting. And above all it was a challenging and meaningful experience for her.

Contributor Mrs Esha Aumjaud

Post: PROJECT ASSISTANT on part-time basis

ADVERT for PROJECT ASSISTANT 

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the post of Project Assistant on the UoM-funded research project entitled “Isolation and molecular characterisation of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) in unprocessed foods derived from dairy cattle, beef cattle, deer and pigs”.

The recruitment and appointment will be on an assignment and part-time basis for a total period of 6 months starting 10 November 2014. The project assistant will be required to provide technical assistance in laboratory experimental work. The position carries a fixed all-inclusive package of Rs 25000 paid on an assignment basis.

Applicants should have a good Honours Degree in either Microbiology or Biotechnology.

Preference will be given to candidates who:

Ø Have good knowledge and skills in culture-dependent microbiological analysis of food materials

Ø Have good knowledge and skills in molecular techniques applied to food microbiology

Ø Are computer literate and have good communication skills

Applications accompanied by a detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) should reach the undersigned by 31 October 2014. 
Dr S J Santchurn
Department of Agricultural and Food Science
Faculty of Agriculture
University of Mauritius

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only the best candidates will be called for an interview. The University reserves the right not to make any appointment as a result of this advertisement.

Talk on Career Series- Boosting your employability

4ème édition des Journées Scientifiques QualiREG

La 4ème édition des Journées Scientifiques QualiREG se déroulera du 24 au 28 novembre à l'Hôtel Colbert à Antananarivo, à Madagascar.

La 4ème édition des Journées Scientifiques QualiREG se déroulera du 24 au 28 novembre à l'Hôtel Colbert à Antananarivo, à Madagascar.
Chaque année le réseau organise ces Journées Scientifiques de l’Agroalimentaire, une occasion unique dans l’océan Indien d’échanger entre chercheurs et professionnels de l’agroalimentaire autour des enjeux de la qualité des aliments et de promouvoir les innovations et les savoir-faire présents dans la région OI. Pour optimiser ce moment unique d’échanges et favoriser la rencontre entre chercheurs et acteurs économiques, un espace exposants, des rencontres B to B, des ateliers et des formations sont proposés en plus des conférences habituelles.

Retrouvez le programme détaillé sur ce site internet 

100 Years Celebrations FoA - Prime Minister Speech

Watch a snapshot of the Prime Minister Key Note Address

Centenaire de L"Ecole D'Agriculture - Un siècle de formation en agriculture au service du développement mauricien

Elaborer par des travaux de recherche et transmettre par des enseignements, des connaissances au service du développement du pays: c'est l'un des challenges que s'efforce de relever la Faculté d'Agriculture de l’Université de Maurice. Et ce dans le sillage de ses ancêtres, l’École et le Collège d'Agriculture, dont on fête, en cette fin d’année 2014, 100 ans d'existence.

 
Watch the Video  and  Read the Prime Minister Speech


 

World Food Day 2014- Family farmers, feeding the world, caring for the earth

Faculty of Agriculture proudly celebrates a 100 years

Le Premier ministre, Navin Ramgoolam, a rendu un vibrant hommage aux pionniers de la Faculté d’Agriculture à l’occasion du 100e anniversaire de sa création.

 Le collège de l’agriculture qui est devenu plus tard la faculté d’Agriculture a joué un rôle vital pour le développement de l’agriculture à Maurice, a-t-il ajouté. Intervenant, lundi, à l’Auditorium Octave Wiehe à Réduit, le Premier ministre a souligné que l’agriculture est le premier pilier de l’économie de ces dix dernières années. “Aujourd’hui, cette cérémonie se tient dans cet auditorium qui porte le nom de Octave Wiehe. Ce dernier était luimême un lauréat du collège de l’Agriculture en 1930. En sa qualité de directeur du Mauritius Sugar Industries Research Institute, ce dernier avait donné une nouvelle direction à l’Université de Maurice", a-t-il précisé.
Il a profité de l’occasion pour saluer les éminentes personnalités qui ont contribué au développement de l’Université de Maurice telles que le Pr Edward Lim Fat, Robert Antoine, Sir Marc David, Rajsoomer Lallah, le Pr Soodursun Jugessur et Michel De Spéville.  L’initiative de mettre sur pied un collège de l’Agriculture trouve son origine dans une idée lancée par un groupe de planteurs de Rivière-du-Rempart, Flacq, et Grand-Port. Ce groupe avait soumis un mémoire au comité d’agriculture suggérant la mise sur pied d’une ferme expérimentale.

Introducing the FARA Agriculture Student Essay Competition

Introducing the FARA Agriculture Student Essay Competition

The Forum Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is currently embarking on a strategic shift into the next phase of its institutional evolution through an on-going rebranding and repositioning exercise aimed at strengthening its visibility, impact and delivery of its mandate. In this regard, FARA will be organizing a ‘Celebrating FARA’ event intended to recognize and appreciate the dedicated efforts of the Secretariat and its constituent forum members in strengthening African agricultural information, knowledge and innovation systems, and above all, in the recognition of Africa’s scientific achievers.

The celebrations will take place at the Birch Wood Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26th to 28th November 2014. To enhance this event, FARA is holding an essay competition for students of agriculture programmes in African tertiary institutions.

Guidelines

Topic: The Role of Agricultural Innovation in Creating Food Security in Africa

Format: 500-word count

Entry: Free

Language: English and French

Age Eligibility: 15 to 30 years old

Opening Date: October 9, 2014

Closing Date: October 30, 2014

Selection of Winners: November 6

Prizes: Prizes will be awarded to the winning student and their educational institution - $1,000 to the student and an award certificate for the school. Both the student and a representative of the school will be flown to South Africa for FARA’s celebratory event in November where the awards will be presented.

Requirements

Entrants must be full-time students in an African tertiary institution including Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education. This competition is not open to students of African origin studying outside the African continent.

To qualify, entrants are required to apply here: http://bit.ly/faraessay

For updates on the competition, entrants are advised to follow the hashtag #FARAEssay on Facebook and Twitter.

Essays will be shortlisted by public voting on Facebook and the final selection will be made by a panel of experts selected by FARA

Contact: evaluation@fara-africa.org

FARA...Innovating for Africa’s Wellbeing

Interview of Prof A.Sonnino- Guest speaker at the Conferemce for the 100 years of the Faculty

ANDREA SONNINO, Chef du Service de la Recherche à la FAO : “Mettre fin au problème de la faim dans le monde est à notre portée”

Article paru dans Week-End | 7 octobre, 2014 - 08:00

Pour célébrer le centième anniversaire de la Faculté d’Agriculture, qui fut à l’origine une école, l’Université de Maurice a organisé, la semaine dernière, une conférence nationale sur l’agriculture. L’un des principaux invités étrangers était le professeur Andrea Sonnino, responsable du service de la Recherche à la FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation for the United Nations). Jeudi dernier, il a répondu aux questions de Week-End après son intervention à l’université de Maurice sur le sujet suivant : « Food security, sustainability and agricultural biotechnologies. »
Est-ce que le monde produit ce dont il a besoin pour nourrir tous ses habitants en 2014 ?
— Nous produisons plus de nourritureque nous n’en avons besoin, mais nous avons à faire face à deux gros problèmes. Tout d’abord la mauvaise distribution de ces produits qui nous conduit à la situation suivante : 842 millions de personnes ne mangeaient pas à leur faim entre 2011-2013. C’estinacceptable. Le deuxième problème réside dans le fait que l’actuel système de production de nourriture consomme trop de ressources naturelles, ce qui va nous empêcher d’offrir aux générations futures les mêmes conditions de santé, de nourriture et d’environnement que ceux que nous avons reçues de nos parents.

100 Years Celebrations- Launching of the FaceBook page.

Our facebook page for the 100 years celebrations has been published.


This page is a repository of some salient features of the evolution of the Faculty over time. You can view the chronology of the evolution of the Faculty either through the album of photos or the timeline through the years starting from 1914 to date. You are most welcome to comment and ask questions and make this FB a lively one and a worthy platform.

Make this page known to all your friends, colleagues and class mates.


Wish you all a happy celebrations!!!!!!!! and Don't forget your alma mater, without whom you may not be what you are today.

European Biotech Week - 6 -12 Oct 2014

Biotech is buzzing in Europe this week! Why?? Well, this week is the European Biotech Week! View more about that special week here: http://www.biotechweek.org/ and tell us what are your hopes and dreams, using biotech tools for a better Mauritius, a better Africa?

Contributor: Murielle Lai Chin Kon, BSc(Hons) Biotechnology, Year 3