Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, inaugurated, today, an Agro-Processing Unit at Mapou Model Farm. The main thrust of the unit is to promote agro-processing through value addition to primary products as well as to minimise wastage along the value chain.
The Assistant Director – Extension and Training of the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (FAREI), Mr A. Goolaub, the Senior Chief Executive of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr M. Gunputh, and other personalities were present at the inauguration ceremony.
In his address, Minister Gobin observed that the setting up of an Agro-Processing Unit in Mapou is in line with Government’s policy to boost up agro-entrepreneurship and to reduce the dependency on imported processed products. He stressed that the necessary expertise and financing is available to implement such units at national level.
The Agro-Processing Unit, highlighted Minister Gobin, aims at empowering prospective agro-processors through effective training and timely technology transfer; and acquainting agro-processors with latest technologies, semi industrial processing equipment and processing norms.
Its objectives are also to enable agro-processors to develop and evaluate their products prior to setting up their own enterprise; and to assist agro-entrepreneurs in setting-up their enterprises and monitor their operations.
Furthermore, the Agro-Industry Minister pointed out that African Development Bank (ADB) has already submitted a report which highlights that, as far as the non-sugar sector reform is concerned, agro-processing is a new pillar that has to be consolidated.
As such, the ADB is providing the necessary support to Mauritius to further develop agro-processing, he stated. In addition, Mr Gobin underscored that agro-processing, which is the transformation of local produce into value added agricultural products, allows the preservation of food during periods of glut for later consumption and sale.
He appealed to producers to form small groups so as to beneficiate from training courses offered by FAREI in order to be able, through agro-processing, to tap new markets and diversify their activities.
The inauguration ceremony was also an opportunity for entrepreneurs who have successfully completed a training course in agro-processing to receive their certificates.
