Business Angels - Some Snapshots

The  2^nd Business Angels Forum organized by the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Mauritius in collaboration with the Mauritius Research Council was held at Paul Octave Wiehe Auditorium, University of Mauritius on the 15 November 2010.  It has regrouped some 20 innovators in the agribusiness field and some 20 Business Angels. It focused on how the innovators need to communicate their ideas successfully to Business Angels.Mr  Bhimal Rai based in UK shared his wide experience in an interactive session with the participants and business Angels. He explained the basic principles behind this new mode of financing and gave ample evidence on how innovators can achieve success in their endeavours. A range of projects were presented and discussed. Some snapshots of the event (opening ceremony, interactive session with Mr B. Rai, interaction of Business Angels with participants among others) are shown below, pending a resume of the event by the organising commitee. There are also some photos of the event on Minister Rajesh Jeetah's blog. Click here

La Faculte D'Agriculture de L'UoM organise sa premiere édition du Business Angels' Forum - le 15 Nov 2010

La Faculté d'agriculture de l'Université de Maurice en collaboration avec le Mauritius Research Council lance sa première édition du Business Angels' Forum, aujourdhui le lundi 15 novembre à l'auditorium Octave Wiehe à Réduit. Cette manifestation permettra aux investisseurs (Business Angels) locaux de rencontrer des futurs entrepreneurs ayant des idées innovatrices et d'explorer des opportunités d'investissement. See website

Les futurs entrepreneurs, les innovateurs ainsi que le grand public auront lors du Business Angels' Forum l'occasion de présenter auprès des investisseurs leurs idées innovatrices ayant un potentiel commercial en particulier dans les domaines de l'agro-business et l'industrie alimentaire. Cette plateforme servira, d'une part, de pont entre les investisseurs locaux et les chercheurs et autres potentiels entrepreneurs. D'autre part, ce sera une possibilité pour les innovateurs et les entrepreneurs de partager leurs idées et de discuter de leurs projets. De plus, les futurs entrepreneurs bénéficieront des compétences et de l'expertise des Business Angels qui seront présents.

"Learning from the past: Successes and failures with agricultural biotechnologies in developing countries over the last 20 years"

Source:http://biotech-zone.blogspot.com

A summary Document of the e-mail conference entitled  "Learning from the past: Successes and failures with agricultural  biotechnologies in developing countries over the last 20 years" that took  place from 8 June to 8 July 2009 is now out.  It was the 16th conference hosted by the  FAO Biotechnology Forum since its launch in 2000.(http://www.fao.org/biotech/forum.asp). The report contains valuable insights on the status of use of Biotechnology in developing countries.

Seminar on Turfgrass Management by Prof E. Guertal at the Faculty

Contributor Navin Boodia

The Faculty is organising a seminar on Turfgrass Management (see advert below). It will be delivered by Prof E. Guertal. All are invited.

Summary 

Golf courses are often more than a recreational outlet for local golfers.  In many regions, including Mauritius, golf courses are part of a tourism package, with golf marketed as part of a ‘resort experience’.  These golf courses must be of high quality, providing uniform fairways and putting greens with consistent ball roll and playability.  To achieve this high quality golf course turfgrasses often receive inputs of fertilizer on a frequent basis.   However, this application of fertilizers could pose environmental hazards, and whether real or perceived, the environmental impact of golf courses on the surrounding environment is a topic of much discussion.  This seminar will discuss the fate of applied N fertilizer in the turfgrass ecosystem, and will detail gains and losses of N in the system.  Current and past research that studies the fate of N in turfgrass systems will be discussed, including N flux from leaching and volatilization.   

Africa crop tool - Interactive 43-nation guide on what to plant, when and where launched by FAO

Interactive 43-nation guide on what to plant, when and where

FAO has launched a quick reference calendar covering 43 major African countries (Mauritius is also included) that advises which crops to plant when, according to the type of agricultural zone from drylands to highlands. The web-based tool, developed by FAO experts, covers more than 130 crops from beans to beetroot to wheat to watermelon. It is aimed at all donors, agencies, government extension workers and non-governmental organizations working with farmers on the continent. Read more at FAO Media Centre.

World Food Day 2010 - Collection of Non Perishable Food Items on UoM campus

The World Food Day is celebrated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) every year on the 16th October, the day on which the organization was founded in 1945. In this context, the students of the Faculty of Agriculture are organising a collection of non-perishable food items on the UoM campus over a period of four working days as from Thursday 11 November 2010. These items will be distributed to needy people. See poster below.

World Food Day 2010 at the Faculty - Poster and Essay Competition

Dear ALL
The deadline for poster submission (not essay competition) has been extended for a further one week.
Dean

New Agriculturist - Latest Edition

The latest edition of New Agriculturist (2010-6) is now online at www.new-ag.info. Like the woes released from Pandora's box, the challenges we face are numerous, and if we are to hold onto hope, we must be prepared to change. In this final edition of 2010, New Agriculturist looks at key areas where change is paramount, including restoring soils, reducing hunger and improving women's right and access to land

Job Opportunities at LFL Aqua and Extrusion Laboratory (Riche Terre)

Poste au labo - LFL Aqua and Extrusion Laboratory (Riche Terre)

Recrutement au niveau du laboratoire: Nous recherchons un jeune qui sera responsable du laboratoire à Riche terre.

Il s’occupera du QC en place et de l’échantillonnage, des analyses etc. Nous recherchons une personne dynamique et motivée qui n’a pas peur de travailler dans un environnement de production, (odeur, chaleur, poussière, etc).

Profile avec Masters ou bien avec quelques années d’expériences.

Contact either the Dean or Assoc Prof F. Driver 

Financing Agriculture in Southern Africa - ACP Briefings

The CTA, the European Commission, DG Development and EuropeAid, the ACP Secretariat, Concord and  SACAU and regional organizations of Southern Africa has released their briefing notes on Financing Agriculture in Southern Africa.
The Briefing aimed at raising awareness about existing and emerging key challenges on financing agriculture in Southern Africa; promoting exchange of information and experiences from other regions; and ultimately at contributing to shape the debate and policies on financing mechanisms. More details can be obtained by visiting the following website.

Research Assistant at the FoA

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the post of Research Assistant on the project entitled “Seaweeds-Based Plant Growth Promoters” funded by the MRC Solicited Research Grant Scheme.

World Food Day 2010 at the Faculty - Poster and Essay Competition

The Faculty of Agriculture will celebrate the World Food Day 2010 on the 12th  November 2010 on the campus. As one of the main activities, a poster and essay competition is being organised by the Agricultural Society for students of the Faculty only. These two competitions will provide an opportunity to students to learn more about their role in being United Against Hunger.
I am sure you will find your participation in this exercise a fruitful and insightful one. So give the best of yourself.
Thank You and Good Luck to all of you.
Dean of Faculty

More details on the requirements and guidelines for the competitions are provided in the adverts below.

Guidelines 

What did you learn at the World Food Day 2010?.

I am sure many of you have visited the various stands for World Food day 2010 at the SSR Botanic Garden. How about each one of us share a few lines on what we have learned or discovered. This could generate a good database of materials for teaching and learning activities. OK guys lets give it a try.
Thank You

Business Angels Forum- Networking Investors

The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius in collaboration with the Mauritius Research Council (under the aegis of the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology) is pleased to invite the public in general and researchers who have Innovative Ideas with Commercial Potential, to the Business Angels Forum in the field of Agribusiness/Food Industry. Read more below.

Video - "United against Hunger"

Hello All

This video was created by a group of students of the BSc (Hons) Agric. with spp. in Extension ,Year 3 under the supervision of Mr S. Hurdowar, an academic staff at the FoA. It was shown at the opening ceremony (13/10/2010) of the World Food Day 2010 and was also run daily at our stand at the SSR Botanic Garden, Pamplemousses. Congrats to all of you for the good quality video.

As at 18 Oct 2010 it has been viewed by more that 200 people. This means that our University and Faculty is already known to an international as well as a local audience. This is the power of the WEB 2.0 tools which many of us still fear.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Faculty of Agriculture: World Food Day 2010 at the SSR Botanic Garden

I was at the FOA stand today (13.10.10) to coordinate the last minute decorations and display of stands. However, I have derived much pleasure and pride to meet with some of our Alumni who are now working for different agricultural institutions. They were actively involved in preparing their respective stands. I

have not had time to talk with them but I will do so tomorrow. I was also explaining to a group of students that one day they may also be on the side of the fence and they should not  forget that their seed of success is sowed at the FOA, where they are currently being trained. The FoA plays and will continue to play a central role in training future manpower in the agricultural and food sectors.

Our Final year Food Science students ( See Photo below) did a marvellous job again in passing a few messages through their sketch. Bravo!!!

And we also managed to show the video which was mounted by some students of the Extension programme. A big thanks to the Minister and his staff for making this possible, albeit we have gone over the time limit.

I would encourage all of our students to make an effort to visit the various stands where there are a wealth of knowledge and information that are waiting to be captured. All the facets of the Mauritian agriculture are present from small agricultural entrepreneurs to the big one. This is a big learning opportunity, and do ask questions when you visits those stands.

So far we have maintained our visibility and credibility. Keep it up.

Climate Change- Global Work Party- University of Mauritius

At the University of Mauritius, students gathered to plant trees and promote reforestation as a solution to climate change and to urge politicians to pass clean energy policies.

Climate Change- Global Work Party.

The 350.org campaign is named for the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that scientists say is the safe limit for humanity and it aims to spearhead international actions to fight climate change. The 350.org network organized s having a “ work party” all day today (10/10/10). The aim is to get people doing the small things —  planting trees,  installing solar water heaters,  fixing drafty buildings, calling elected officials — that can provide the foundation for a long-term shift in habits and plans related to  limiting human-driven global warming. In Mauritius the Global Work Party , Tree Planting , was launched at Forest Side SSS and the Mon Desert Mon Tresor primary school on Friday 8 Oct 2010. On 10/10/10, there will be over 7,000 similar climate action events taking place in in 188 countries around the world as part of “The Global Work Party.” This synchronized international event is organized by 350.org, and is expected to be the largest day of climate action in history.

Meeting with Stakeholders - Training Needs Assessment & Curriculum Development in the Agriculture and Food Sectors

The Faculty of Agriculture has for years trained students in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, food science and technology, biotechnology, forestry, aquaculture and related fields.  The Faculty develops its curriculum based on national and regional goals, policies and needs and offers programmes of studies at certificate, diploma, degree and postgraduate levels.

  The Faculty reacts to changes in the different fields and redesigns its curriculum based on needs.  However, to be able to assess what such needs are, it is necessary to make surveys, to reach out to stakeholders to find out what they would want and to try to match such needs as close as possible at the level of the faculty.  The aim is also to ensure the employability of graduates, optimisation of resources, greater relevance of programmes and conformity with international standards.

In this context, The Faculty of Agriculture is holding a meeting with various stakeholders on  Friday 8 Oct 2010 to assess their training needs and receive feedback on our curriculum in the agriculture and food sectors.

Faculty of Agriculture: World Food Day 2010 at the SSR Botanic Garden

Faculty of Agriculture: World Food Day 2010 at the SSR Botanical Garden, P...:

Hello All
I am pleased to note that the preparation for the World Food Day has made substantial progress. I appreciate the effort made by some students despite their  load of work (lectures, tests, practicals etc) but I guess it pays in the long run. We are now in the final round of preparation and wish all of you to show the same enthusiasm for next week. Well Done