Jul 30, 2015

Aquatic Animal Disease Workshop in Mauritius

​GIS - 29 July 2015: A ten-day training programme in Aquatic Animal Disease and Food Safety, organised by the Competent Authority – Seafood and the Agence Francaise de Développement, kickstarted yesterday at the Mauritius Maritime Training Academy in Pointe aux Sables.


The training is meant for the officers of the Competent Authority – Seafood and the aquatic division of the Albion Fisheries and Research Centre as well as for operators in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The course is being dispensed by Dr Laurent Pasco, Veterinary Officer and Head of the Board Inspection Post in Vannes (France).

Participants will gain knowledge in aquatic animal diseases specific to Mauritius and how to curb the risk of proliferation of aquatic animal diseases to species endemic in Mauritius. They will also acquire enhanced knowledge and skills in verifying whether shellfish, crustaceans, and other aquatic animals meant for export are fit for human consumption. After the training, they will be able to establish a food safety management plan that will ensure compliance to the requirements of importing countries. Moreover, the training will contribute in equipping officers with the necessary skills to enable them to effect appropriate verification and control within the national and international Regulatory Frameworks. In so doing, Mauritius can have access to several other markets while consolidating our presence in traditional markets.

The training comes at an opportune time, says Minister The Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands, M. Premdut Koonjoo, was present for the opening. In his address, he highlighted that the training has come at an opportune time since the Ministry is working on the expansion of the aquaculture sector in Mauritius. He recalled that the vision of the Government is to make the ocean economy an important industry to sustain economic diversification, job creation and wealth generation. In this respect, the fisheries and aquaculture industry will play an important role in developing the ocean economy, he said. The training programme, the Minister said, will contribute in developing the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in a sustainable manner and allow operators in fish and fish products sector to develop their business free from diseases.

Jul 27, 2015

Some Snapshots of Industrial Chicken Production in Mauritius

La compagnie Innodis investira 3 millions de dollars soit près de 90 millions de roupies pour la mise sur pied d'une unité de production d'électricité a partir de déchets de poulaillers. L'unité de 'biogas' sera opérationnelle en 2016.

Jul 25, 2015

Mauritius endorses the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Compact


GIS – 24 July 2015: The signature ceremony of the Mauritius Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact, intended to assist the Government in defining and accelerating implementation of its agricultural development agenda, was held yesterday at Westin Turtle Bay Resort and Spa, Balaclava. 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Etienne Sinatambou; the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Mahen Kumar Seeruttun, and other personalities were present at the function.
CAADP is a commitment of African countries to pursue a higher path of economic growth through agriculture-led development in order to reduce poverty and hunger in the continent. CAADP countries are expected to achieve 6 percent growth in the agricultural sector of their economies and allocate at least 10 percent of the national budget to agriculture. 


The Compact validates the consensus on the goals and priorities that Mauritius has set for the sector and the partnerships and assistance that are required to achieve these goals. Its ultimate purpose is to increase the effectiveness of planning and execution of Government’s efforts as well as of the delivery of external assistance in the agricultural sector as well as provide a solid framework under which assistance can be scaled up to help meet the short and long term investment needs in the sector. 
In his address, Minister Sinatambou recalled that Mauritius, being a small island developing state is limited by its physical size to expand the agricultural sector.  Therefore, Mauritius is positioning itself to be more self-reliant through increase in agricultural productivity, creating more opportunities for innovation and value addition and intra-industry linkages, he underlined.  
According to him, it is important for Mauritius to develop its National Agriculture Investment Plan and an action plan for implementation.  These are important to enable us to benefit from financial support from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme Fund, totalling US$ 253.8 million, to finance our national projects, Mr Sinatambou said.


For his part, Minister Seeruttun stated that to modernise the agriculture sector and address the threat of food crisis, the Government of Mauritius through the Government Programme 2015 -2019 is proposing a series of measures to boost up the production of strategic crops for food security, encourage cross-border initiatives, empower farmers and attract young entrepreneurs to engage in agriculture.
He also announced the finalisation of a Strategic Plan for the agricultural sector.  Our aim is the promotion of an agri-business approach to farming, with the adoption of appropriate technology and sound management practices in order to achieve sustainable agricultural production, and to contribute significantly to social and economic development and food security, as well as to the effective and judicious use of the natural resource base of the country, he stressed.
Source: Government Information Service. 

CAADP WEBSITE Mauritius, July 23 2015 – Mauritius has become  the 15th member country in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to sign its national Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact. 

“CAADP responds to the aspirations of Africa by placing agriculture as the engine of social and economic growth,” said Mr. Mahen Kumar Seerutun, Mauritian Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security.

Speaking on behalf of the NEPAD Agency and the African Union Commission, Dr. Janet Edeme, Head of Rural Economy and Agriculture Division, expressed gratitude to Mauritius for building consensus among partners on necessary solutions to meet the challenges in agricultural development.  Dr. Edeme also remarked that it is important that Africa commit its own resources towards the continent’s development. 

The signing of a CAADP Compact symbolises a commitment to investment in consensually agreed key priority areas, and an overall vision for agricultural transformation.  According to CAADP principles, these agricultural priorities are arrived at through an inclusive national roundtable process. The priorities are by nature, results-based and reflect the views of all stakeholders in the country’s agriculture sector.

The signing ceremony of the CAADP Compact was led by the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mahen Kumar Seerutun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Etienne Sinatambou and COMESA’s Assistant Secretary-General for Programmes, Dr. Kipyego Cheluget.

“Africa boasts huge resources and economic potential, and therefore the role of both public and private sector in agriculture cannot be overemphasized,” Dr. Cheluget said. He added, “The Mauritius CAADP Compact will give impetus to other countries that have not already done so to sign their compacts and implement their National Agriculture Investment plan.“

The national CAADP Compact was also signed by representatives of the African Union Commission, the NEPAD Agency, Small Farmers Welfare Fund, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Ministry of Ocean Economy, the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Etienne Sinatambou stressed that the CAADP process is in line with the Mauritian development priorities, with particular emphasis on biotechnology.

Although continental in scope, the CAADP agenda is an integral part of national efforts to promote agricultural sector growth and economic transformation. In the case of Mauritius, the focus of the CAADP process is to strengthen and add value to the strategy for agricultural transformation under the ongoing Economic Development Strategy of the country as outlined in the Government Programme (2015-19). 

The ultimate goal of the CAADP process in Mauritius is to answer that call for the agricultural sector, by: 

(i)         Helping define a coherent long term framework to guide the planning and implementation of agricultural programmes; and

(ii)       Identifying strategic options and sources of economic empowerment and inclusive growth for the agricultural sector, and 

The CAADP Compact in Mauritius sets the parameters for long-term partnership in the agricultural sector.  It also specifies key commitments on the part of government and development partners.  Furthermore, the Compact clarifies expectations with respect to the agribusiness and farming communities in order to ensure successful implementation of the Government Programme 2015-2019.

Therefore the goals of CAADP are very much in harmony with Mauritius’ goals of creating a modern and sustainable agricultural sector that will contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction in the country. 



The Prison Farm

1958...c'est l’année que la prison de Richelieu a vu le jour. Cette 'open prison' accueille 120 détenus. Sa capacité maximum est de 200...Ici les détenus sont formés a la culture de légumes et a l’élevage des animaux. En décembre une 'open prison' pour femmes sera ouverte. Elle sera calquée sur celle de Richelieu. This prison farm is a showcase to demonstrate that where trained labour is available, animal farming is feasible.

Jul 23, 2015

International Symposium on Food Safety 16 July 2015



International Symposium on Food Safety
The Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Mauritius has hosted a one day International Symposium in Food Safety in collaboration with the SELAMAT (Safety enhancement of Edible products, Legislation, Analysis and Management) consortium on the 16 July 2015. The event was sponsored by SELAMAT, University of Mauritius, Tertiary Education Commission, SKC Foods Ltd, Food and Allied Group, Les Moulins de La Concorde, Change Act and Phoenix Beverages Ltd.
The SELAMAT coordinators for organising the workshop were Dr Hans Marvin and Mr Piet Stouten, RKILT, Netherlands. And the local organising committee consisted of staff of the Faculty and was chaired by the local SELAMAT coordinator, Assoc. Prof. D.Goburdhun.





Opening Ceremony 
The keynote address was given by Dr Masami Takeuchi from the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Symposium was opened by the Chancellor of the University of Mauritius Dr Jean Claude Autrey. The Dean of the Faculty, Prof Sunita Facknath gave an overview of the role of the Faculty of Agriculture in Food Science and Technology. Dr Masami Takeuchiho made a presentation on the importance of knowing the provenance of our food. To ensure a healthy diet , the application of standards and regulations must be made at every stage of production by the authorities she said. According to Assoc Prof D.Goburdhun, there is really no cases of severe food poisoning in Mauritius, in comparison to other countries, but the consumers have a crucial role to play in maintaining food safety. Representatives of NGOs and professionals from public and private sectors also attended the symposium.



   The Faculty of Agriculture
The Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Mauritius has celebrated its centenary in 2014 and has always been proactive and strived to align its programmes of studies with the emerging needs of the Agricultural and Food sector in Mauritius. As early as 1997, the Faculty launched its full fledged undergraduate programmme in Food Science; thereafter B.Sc (Hons) in Food Science and Technology with different specializations such as Food Safety, Seafood Technology, B.Sc (Hons) in Food Safety and Quality, MSc Food Science, MSc Food Technology and PhD in Food Science programmes have been regularly offered. Several research projects pertaining to value addition, food safety, food and health and product development have been carried out by academic staff and students. The Faculty has also organized workshops in the area of Food Science and Technology such as Risk Analysis in food safety.


The SELAMAT consortium
The SELAMAT (Safety enhancement of Edible products, Legislation, Analysis and Management) consortium is a unique partnership of science-based organisations or other organisations established in Asia and the EU, and aims at working together in the area of food safety on activities of mutual benefit. The main partners are the Netherlands, Portugal, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, China, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Nigeria, South Africa. The University of Mauritius(Faculty of Agriculture) has been accepted as a member of the SELAMAT food safety consortium in 2014.


The Symposium
The symposium held on the 16th July 2015 brought together food safety experts to share the latest developments in the area. There were 19 international delegates from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Republic of China, Russia, Nigeria and South Africa and 113 local participants including the public and private sectors, academia, consumer organisation and independent consultants. It was also a good opportunity for participants and delegates to network and discuss with their peers n their topics of interest in food safety. The SELAMAT also held their annual meeting on the 17th July 2015 at Le Meridien Hotel, Mauritius.


8 topics were discussed by a host of international and local speakers on topics ranging from risk assessment and global best practices to emerging trends in managing food safety. The book of abstracts can be accessed here. There were 10 international speakers and moderators from the following institutions.









AU-IBAR Workshop on Genetic Resources - VET-GOV programme steering committee


 

AFRICAN UNION INTERAFRICAN BUREAU FOR ANIMAL RESOURCES (AU-IBAR)

Le 6eme Veterinary-government Steering committee se rencontre à Maurice pour un échange d‘information et d’expérience entre les membres de l'ÁUIBAR, l'African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources. Ils sont quelque 25 représentants des pays africains a Maurice pour faire des réflexions sur l’importance de l’élevage dans la survie de l’humanité. Des centaines de projets pilotes lances ou L’élevage s’avère crucial dans la lutte contre la pauvreté. A conditions que les gouvernements africains y accordent le budget nécessaire selon le coordinateur de l’AU IBAR- lÁfrican Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources. Lors du Lancement, le ministre Mahen Seeruttun a souligné l’importance d'encourager de jeunes entrepreneurs dans ce secteur et Maurice depend encore trop de l’importation. Parmi les autres sujets qui seront abordés pendant ces 2 jours, le financement,les subsides et la formation des leaders dans le secteur de l’elevage pour la région. Source (MBCTV,


GIS – 23 July 2015: The 6th steering committee meeting of the “Reinforcing veterinary governance in Africa” also known as the VET-GOV programme is being held from 22-24 July 2015 at Sofitel Hotel, Flic-en-Flac. The meeting is organised at the initiative of the African Union- Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) to implement the VET-GOV project whose objective is to improve the contribution of livestock to food security, safety, economic growth and wealth creation in Africa.

Jul 22, 2015

Livestock Policy and Action Plan 2015-2020




GIS – 21 July 2015: Moving towards a smart livestock sector is the aim of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security. In this context, a validation workshop for stakeholders on the Livestock Policy and Action Plan 2015-2020 is being held today at Voila Hotel, Bagatelle.
In his address at the opening ceremony, the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr. Mahen Kumar Seeruttun, stated that the aim of his Ministry is to develop the livestock sector so as to boost local production and marketing of milk, meat, poultry and related value added products, thereby increasing self-sufficiency and its contribution to national economy.

 According to the Minister, the livestock sector, especially the production of meat and milk, constitutes an important economic pillar for the State. But this sector had for too long been neglected, he said, adding that it must know a drastic change, move from an archaic system towards the professionalisation of its activities to achieve its true potential whether in dairy or meat  production, namely that of beef, sheep, pigs, goats and chicken.

Jul 21, 2015

International Scientific Conference - Climate Change 2015





7-10 July 2015. Paris, France. This four-day Scientific Conference “Our Common Future under Climate Change” was the largest forum for the scientific community to come together ahead of the 21st UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP21), which will be hosted by France in December 2015 (“Paris Climat 2015”). This PAEPARD blogpost focused on the contributions / presentations from Africa and can be accessed here.

Dr B. Lalljee presented a paper at the conference.

Jul 20, 2015

HAAGRIM - First Mobility Cohort Debriefing Session


At the end of their 6 months placement at the Faculty, Mr Amos Chacha (Kenya) and Ms Junie Brodelle (Cameroon) presented the outcomes of their HAAGRIM mobility at the University of Mauritius. The meeting was attended by academic staff and was followed by a get together with the administrative staff to bid farewell to them.  In their presentation both students highlighted their appreciation of the modules they have followed in Agribusiness and their 2 months work placement. They expounded on skills gained in project management and writing business plans. And lastly but not least they have enjoyed their interaction with local students.

Their key message   
Une expérience d’apprentissage enrichissante

Some snapshots of their last day at the Faculty are shown below.

Jul 17, 2015

We need to cultivate young farmers

Farmers are the backbone of resilient local and regional food systems, yet many are aging or retiring. The Farm LASTS Project at the University of Vermont estimates that 70 percent of farmland in the United States will change hands over the next two decades. The age of the average U.S. farmer is 58.3 years old, and rural populations are declining as a percentage of the national population, according to U.S. Census Data.

To create a sustainable food system, we need to cultivate young farmers. Supporting beginning farmers needs to be a collaborative effort—one that connects young people with both financial and technical resources and provides the knowledge necessary to develop a successful business. New farmers also need sustainable funding and mutual partnerships with investors, which are increasingly found outside of traditional investment models. And MAURITIUS  is no exception to this strategy if we want to be food secure, less reliant of food imports. The following websites gives a glimpse of the various initiatives that are being taken in the US to bring in the youth in agriculture.

Tertiary education Strategic plan

13 July 2015 The draft Action Plan for the Tertiary Education Strategic Plan, aiming to put in place a better and improved governance of the tertiary sector, was the focus of a presentation workshop which opened this morning at La Cannelle, in Domaine les Pailles.
Funded by the European Union to the tune of more than five million MUR, the draft Action Plan has been prepared by a team of four consultants headed by Dr Rogier Van t'Rood, team leader at PROMAN.
The half-day workshop at La Cannelle, organised by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, in collaboration with the European Union, brought together several public and private stakeholders from academia, as well as representatives of tertiary education institutions.

Jul 8, 2015

Rapport d'activite Qualireg




Ce rapport synthétise l'ensemble des activités et des actions qui ont été menées pendant le projet (2012-2015).

Vous y retrouverez les faits marquants du réseau en termes de partenariat, de formation, d’animation scientifique et de recherche scientifique.

A lire Les faits marquants du réseau de 2012 à 2015.

Jul 6, 2015

Organizations Raising Awareness of Antibiotic Resistance

 
The routine use of antibiotics on livestock leads to the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria that can impact humans. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in 2010, almost 52 percent of chicken breasts tested were contaminated with antibiotic resistant E. coli. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that 80 percent of all antibiotics are fed to farm animals that aren’t sick, in order to promote rapid growth.

The overuse of antibiotics results in high costs to consumers who become sick from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excess healthcare costs in the U.S. from antibiotic resistance are estimated at US $20 billion annually. People spent an additional 8 million days in the hospital due to these infections in 2011. Other societal costs, such as lost wages from extra days spent in the hospital and premature deaths, were estimated at US$35 billion in 2011.

In the U.S., at least 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year, according to the CDC. And 23,000 people die every year as a direct result of those infections, with many more dying from complications. Because of these exorbitant costs and serious public health risks, there is a national movement to end the use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics in agricultural production.

What do we do when antibiotics don’t work any more?



Penicillin changed everything. Infections that had previously killed were suddenly quickly curable. Yet as Maryn McKenna shares in this sobering talk, we've squandered the advantages afforded us by that and later antibiotics. Drug-resistant bacteria mean we're entering a post-antibiotic world — and it won't be pretty. There are, however, things we can do ... if we start right now.Antiobiotic resistance is becoming a real concerm. Listen to this talk


Jul 2, 2015

Talk by Prof Alison Bailey, University of Reading





Empowering agricultural graduates for the job market: challenges for the HEIs and prospective employers

By Associate Prof Alison Bailey, External Examiner (University of Reading)






Agriculture is a vital and successful industry worldwide. Globally forecasters are estimating a worldwide population explosion to over nine billion by the year 2050.  To meet the demand for food and other products, agricultural production will have to significantly increase, more so than in the last 10,000 years. However, the relative importance of agriculture as part of developed, primarily western, economies is decreasing.  Internationally, and conversely, there is new competition from other nations arising from factors such as increasing liberalisation of international trade in agri-food, huge changes in the demography of populations in developing nations, rapid advances in knowledge-based industries, and new and internationally shared concerns with regard to issues such as sustainable farming systems, the environment, food quality and safety, and animal welfare.

This talk will cover a number of areas, focused on the UK but with reference to the global market. First, a review of the agricultural industry. Second, the recent fall and rise of the agricultural education sector, examining concerns raised 10 years ago and the current situation today, with reflections on the future for the research and educational sector, and the students themselves. Fourth, it will outline the provision of agricultural education in the UK with particular reference to the University of Reading. Finally, reference is made to the employer perspective. Findings from a one day conference to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Farm Management Unit at Reading entitled ‘Educating managers for 21st century agriculture and the countryside’, which included speakers providing perspectives from the industry are highlighted. Although held 10 years ago, the issues raised then are still of relevance today.


Biography:

Dr Alison Bailey is an Associate Professor in Agricultural Business Management and Director of the Farm Management Unit at the University of Reading. She studied at Aberystwyth University and has previously worked at Edinburgh and Cranfield Universities in the UK. The focus of Alison's current research is on the analysis of agricultural production systems encompassing: the financial and economic analyses of the impact on farm productivity of alternative farming systems and agri-environment policy strategy, and the investigation of farmer decision making processes and motivations. She also has an interest in the application of socio-economic principles and techniques for resource and environmental management, including environmental economic valuation, cost benefit analysis and accounting. She is Programme Director for the degree in Agricultural Business Management; with teaching focused on farm business management, including agricultural, rural development and agri-environment policy.