The Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius will host a two-day symposium this week to chart pathways to a sustainable food system for the country.
Hosted by the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security and the Economic Development Board, the 16-20 March meeting aims to discuss achieving self-sufficiency in key agricultural products and strengthening the export potential of agro-processed products.
The forum will be held at the Cote d’Or National Sports Complex and officially opened by the President of Mauritius, Pradeep Roopun.
The event will include presentations on various agricultural themes, and an exhibition of agricultural products, techniques, technologies and equipment.
The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation and other international shocks are forcing Mauritius to relook at its agriculture sector to increase productivity, resilience and sustainability. This is amid the increasing stress of climate change and expanding population.
According to the International Trade Administration, the country imports at least 75% of its food, including many essential food items, making it vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions. In 2020, agricultural imports accounted for $1.1 billion, representing 26.1 percent of total Mauritian imports.
The major food imports are rice, meat and fish, fruits, dairy products, vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, cereals, edible oil, beverages, wheat, and food preparations.
In the 2020-2021 budget, the government unveiled a National Agri-Food Development Program to reduce dependence on imports.