Africa-Press – Mauritius. The International Conference on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is being held from 15 August to 17 August 2023 at the Long Beach Hotel in Belle Mare, as part of the project “Transformation of Belle Mare into a Climate-Smart Agriculture village for climate resilience, food security, and poverty alleviation of its farmers”.
The opening ceremony was held, today, in the presence of the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah; the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin; the Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Mauritius, Ms Manuela Riccio; and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Australian High Commission in Mauritius, Ms Keara Shaw.
The Conference, organised by the University of Mauritius and funded by the EU and the Australian Government, aims at helping planters of Belle Mare and other neighboring villages to develop climate resilience and encourage them to adapt innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture.
In his address, Minister Bholah highlighted the effects of rising temperatures and global warming on agriculture and health. The situation, he observed, will get worse as the world is undergoing a transformation driven by human activities that contribute to rising temperatures, extreme weather events, melting glaciers and changing ecosystems.
He underscored the need to take urgent actions and exploit creativity and technology to address climate change and forge a sustainable future. “Transitioning to a low-carbon economy is not just an obligation, it is an opportunity to new industries, new jobs, and new ways of living that respect the limits of our planet.
”, he said. Minister Bholah extended his appreciation to the EU and the Australian Government for their precious support to Mauritius.
He is confident that such collaborations will help boost resilience of farmers, promote conservation and propel us towards a greener and cleaner future. As for Minister Gobin, he stated that the CSA project is also being implemented in other regions namely La Laura and Plaine Sophie.
He also spoke of the impacts of the Russia and Ukraine war on food security, fuel and fertiliser, as well as freight charges especially for small islands such as Mauritius and stressed the importance of sustainable agriculture and food production.
He further noted that the use of pesticides among planters has decreased. Government’s efforts are ongoing to foster resilience of food systems and confront the effects of climate change, he said, adding that the effort of each and every one is likewise necessary.
He also evoked the possibility of collaborating with Australia in the field of biosecurity for the elaboration of stricter policies. In her speech, Ms Riccio spoke of the co-existence of tourism and agriculture in Mauritius.
She indicated that the activities of each sector should be complemented for greater efficiency and progress. The EU, she said, has provided a support of Rs 15 million to this project which aims at promoting research on agricultural production techniques and reduce the harms of climate change.
For her part, Ms Shaw, underscored the longstanding friendly ties between Mauritius and Australia, adding that both countries have a strong cooperation in agro-industry. Australia, she stated, is proud to provide its assistance to the project which will ensure food security in the long run, and improve resilience.
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