Seeds sector development gets foreign help

The Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security will sign an Agreement for Reimbursable Technical Assistance with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The Fund will support the setting up of an operational and necessary legal framework for the development of the Seeds Sector in Mauritius. It would also carry out a review of the Seeds Act 2013, and develop draft priority Regulations for the setting up and operation of institutions created under the Act; prepare detailed roles and responsibilities of each section of the National Plant Varieties and Seeds Office; set up management systems for the running of the National Plant Varieties and Seeds Office; and develop seeds testing capacity. IFAD, a specialised agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. It is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s poorest people – 1.4 billion women, children and men – live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and related activities for their livelihoods. The goal of IFAD is to enable poor rural women and men to improve their food and nutrition security, increase their incomes and strengthen their resilience. Its work contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.