Budget 2018-19 - agriculture : up to 100 new farms over the next 2 years

In view of creating a new era of import substitution, the Prime Minister has announced a series of measures to boost the production of food crops.  As such, the Government will give the necessary support to set up 100 farms over the next two years under a Sheltered Farming Scheme.

Features of the Sheltered Farming Scheme:

• farms will be made available on a Ready-To-Operate basis;
• facilities including security and marketing, amongst others, will be provided. EDB will assist these new agripreneurs to market their products both domestically and abroad;
• Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI) will give the necessary technical assistance and mentoring to young graduates and SMEs as they develop their agri projects;
• access to finance at the Development Bank of Mauritius (DBM) and Maubank will be at the concessional rate of 3 percent; and
• all income derived from these projects will be exempted from tax for the first 8 years.

Other measures

• Pursuant to the sustainable development model, sheltered farms will be equipped with rain harvesting systems and photovoltaic technology.
• The Government is also coming up with a Mini Sheltered Farming Scheme to promote micro gardens, vertical agriculture and roof top gardening. A grant of up to Rs 10,000 will be given under that scheme to eligible families.
• Availability of funds for the sensitisation and training of households in aquaponics for the production of water adaptive vegetables in freshwater ponds and basins.
• The Albion Fisheries Research Centre will provide fish fingerlings freely for the aquaponics projects.
• Small planters and cooperatives will benefit from a new Scheme that promotes a mix of agricultural and electricity production, giving them the opportunity to improve their income.
• To cater for abandoned agricultural land throughout the island, a land data bank to map out all such areas will be created.
• Ongoing research to best optimise the yield of these lands.