Minister Sinon satisfied with agricultural development in west Mahe

Minister Sinon satisfied with agricultural development in west Mahe

06-September-2014
Barbarons and Grand Anne are well-known agricultural zones of Seychelles and through a visit there, Natural Resources Minister Peter Sinon has kept himself abreast of latest developments and issues farmers are encountering.

At the end of yesterday’s visit, Minister Sinon expressed satisfaction that there are still many properties in the west Mahe region that are dedicated to agriculture.

The minister was talking to the press after visiting farmers Gonzague Morin at Anse à la Mouche; Flavien and Dominique Francourt at Anse Boileau; Alain Samson, Pierre Servina, Robert Melanie and Jean Paul Paul Geoffroy at Barbarons.

Minister Sinon also visited the Grand Anse Plant Diagnostic Laboratory, Alfons Haffner butchery which produces smoked processed meat products like sausages and bacon and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Indian Ocean relay station at Grand Anse. The station will close down completely in October.

He expressed his appreciation about the good job being done by of the Grand Anse laboratory and the training it is providing one year since it started operation.

The Grand Anse Mahe meteorological station is located in a small room in the lab and this came about after the Meteorological Office expressed satisfaction of the services the lab offers.

The minister was accompanied on his visit by Seychelles Agricultural Agency (SAA) chief executive Marc Naiken and other high officials of his ministry and the agency.

Minister Sinon was also disappointed with some farm owners in the area of the Barbarons hotel and said they need to make extra effort for their properties be more productive.

As for smaller farmers who are really working hard and whose work was very much appreciated by the minister and his delegation, he said there is a need to provide them with technical help especially in the field of infrastructure like roads and water availability.

When he spoke about his visit to Alfons Haffner’s meat processing butchery – Haffner’s Products – Minister Sinon said the place could be another outlet for livestock farmers to sell their products to.

Mr Haffner is a German national who came to Seychelles in 1979 and the idea of setting up such a project germinated in 1988. He has been to many other countries including Tanzania but decided to make Seychelles his home.

Mr Haffner is still bringing in equipment for his small factory which is not yet fully operational.

The minster described such an outlet for livestock farmers as very good and added that another abattoir will be built in Grand Anse Mahe to alleviate the many problems farmers are encountering at the one at Brillant.

Gonzague Morin’s farm at Anse à la Mouche is doing quite well and the owner has also set up a small selling outlet at the entrance where people can buy their vegetables. It is a livestock and crop farm with goats, ducks, a variety of vegetables, and yellow coconuts which the owner refers to as ‘water coconut’. Mr Morin said there is a big market in the tourism sector for such a product.

He also does a lot of net farming, uses sugar cane barks for compost and his 550 goats are a cross-breed between Boer from Australia and local ones.
Flavien and Dominique Francourt concentrate on livestock breeding especially chicken and pigs but also grow bananas. They say they are encountering water problem which stops them from producing as much as they would have liked to.

Alain Samson is a full-time farmer and would prefer to have a bigger land parcel to work on. He has been doing farming for more than 19 years and is also experiencing water problem.

Pierre Servina produces fruits but was advised by Minister Sinon to also venture into root crops to be more productive as there is a lot of space on his farm.

Robert Melanie is a fruit and root crop farmer. Minister Sinon noted that if he is given more innovative ideas which will ease production, his farm will be more productive.

The following are some of the photos taken during the minister’s visit yesterday.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=242922

World Food Day - Minister thanks farmers and fishers for their ‘never say die’ attitude

16-October-2014
Minister Sinon The Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon has extended a special gratitude to the farmers and fishermen for their hard work and their 'never say die' attitude.

“They have and continue to be our greatest motivator and we are here to serve their ambition and determination,” says the minister in his message on the occasion of World Food Day.

The full text of Minister Sinon’s message reads:
“For the 34th consecutive year, the Republic of Seychelles celebrates World Food Day as a member of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The organisation was founded 69 years ago on October 16, 1945 in Canada. This year’s celebration is under the theme: ‘Family farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth’. This theme provides us a lot of food for thought and the opportunity to raise the profile of family farming.
http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=243330

Minister Sinon in Question Time

04-November-2014
The Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon will be present for question time during this week’s sitting of the National Assembly.

The minister will address the following concerns: the ministry’s efforts to curb continual hikes in fish prices; perceived benefits of the insurance scheme for farmers and fishermen; measures to prevent flooding at Au Cap farm (situated behind the Creole Institute) during periods of heavy rainfall; storage facilities for La Digue fishermen; provision of veterinary services; sustainability of fish stocks and strategies in place to develop the Blue Economy concept.

Moreover, two motions have been tabled for this sitting: Lenny Lebon, representative for the Grand Anse Mahe district, will call for the adoption of a national policy to improve the accessibility of public places for persons with disabilities. Additionally, Galen Bresson, representative for the Bel Ombre district, will call for the executive to establish a competent authority to monitor product quality, standards and prices.

Source Seychelles Nation

Une copie du rapport final contenant des recommandations qui vont permettre une amélioration des cadres institutionnels existants au niveau du Ministère des Ressources naturelles aussi bien qu’au niveau de l’agence agricole a été remis hier matin au Vice-Président Danny Faure à State House.

Le document – le Renforcement des capacités institutionnelles du secteur agricole – a été remis au Vice-Président Faure par le Ministre des Ressources naturelles M. Peter Sinon et le représentant de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture (FAO) à Madagascar, aux Comores, à Maurice et aux Seychelles, M. Patrice Talla Takoukam. La cérémonie de remise a été assistée par une forte délégation du Ministère des Ressource naturelles.

Lors d’un point de presse après la remise, M. Takoukam a expliqué que le rapport est un document important dans la mesure où il donne des recommandations et présente des arguments que le gouvernement devrait étudier pour voir comment réformer le secteur agricole aux Seychelles.

« L’agriculture étant le mandat principal de la FAO, notre rôle est de voir comment améliorer la production en vu d’assurer la sécurité alimentaire des populations », a dit M. Takoukam au journal Seychelles Nation.

Rappelant que le secteur agricole des Seychelles a subi des effets d’un certain nombre de facteurs pendants plusieurs années, M. Takoukam a dit que le Ministère des Ressources naturelles voudrait voir dans quelle mesure il faut revigorer le secteur, notamment pour améliorer la qualité aussi bien que la quantité de la production agricole aux Seychelles. Il a ajouté qu’il est aussi question du niveau élevé de l’importation des produits alimentaires aux Seychelles.

Il a fait remarquer que l’importation accrue des produits agricole a un impact non seulement économique mais aussi un impacte sur la santé. Il a souligné que le secteur touristique est le principal pourvoyeur de ces produits alimentaires et si les Seychelles peuvent arriver à développer son secteur agricole, cela permettrait aux agriculteurs non seulement de pouvoir vendre leurs produits à ces hôtels mais également ils pourront mettre à la disposition de la population des produits frais.

M. Takoukam a également souligné que pour pouvoir développer ce secteur il faut qu’il y ait un cadre institutionnel approprié. Donc, l’objet de cette étude l’année dernière était de voir comment les cadres institutionnels existants au niveau du ministère aussi bien qu’au niveau de l’agence agricole peuvent aider à améliorer le développement de ce secteur.

« L’étude qui a été menée a permis de discuter avec l’ensemble des parties prenantes dans le secteur publiques, privés et aussi à travers les associations des fermiers qui a permis d’identifier les principales lacunes institutionnelles et on a fait des recommandations qui vont permettre une amélioration des cadres institutionnels », a dit M. Takoukam.

Maintenant il revient au gouvernement et au ministère de mettre en œuvre ces recommandations avec l’appui de l’ensemble des parties prenantes.

De son côté le conseiller spécial au Ministère des Ressources naturelles M. Antoine Marie Moustache a fait savoir que la prochaine étape est l’implémentation des recommandations de ce rapport qui sera remis très prochainement au comité national de haut niveau que préside le Vice-Président Faure pour être étudier avant que le financement nécessaire soit trouver pour sa mise en œuvre au cours des trois prochaines années.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=244257

Comesa support in strengthening weather resilience of agricultural investment plan

25-September-2015


Stakeholders, representatives from public and private organisations, farmers and officials from the Seychelles Agricultural Agency yesterday took part in a discussion session to explore ways and means to strengthen the resilience to adverse weather of the recently adopted Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan.
Guy Morel, a local consultant tasked to drive the process nationally, and three experts in different areas associated with climate change from the Comesa (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) led the discussions yesterday.
The Comesa delegation is being headed by Chikakula Miti.
In remarks before launching the discussion session, the Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Wallace Cosgrow said the Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan is the most significant potential investment plan the agricultural sector has produced over the last 20 years.
He said with the support of the Comesa the Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan is expected to be ready by the end of the year but its forthcoming launch and subsequent realisation come at a time when the agricultural sector is being battered by more and more extreme weather as a result of climate change.
“These anomalies are becoming more frequent and are having serious implications on national food production efforts and food output,” Minister Cosgrow said.
“We are indeed banking on the Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan to build an appreciable degree of resilience in our food and nutrition security endeavours in the face of these extreme weather events,” Minister Cosgrow added.
He welcomed Comesa’s support and collaboration to review the document, take into account contributions from local stakeholders and make recommendations on how best to strengthen the Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan resilience against adverse weather and other challenges associated with climate change.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=246891

Avoid using pesticides against hairy caterpillars, warns expert

06-October-2015
Avoid using synthetic pesticides against hairy caterpillars!Dr Georgen speaking at the debriefing session
The strong recommendation which has also come in the form of an alert is from a biosystematist and technical expert from the Food and Agricultural Organisation.
Dr Georg Georgen is currently in Seychelles to identify and help implement what is hoped to be an effective hairy caterpillar control programme.
During his stay, he has conducted site visits, carried out observations, collect caterpillar samples and relevant data and met individuals and organisations concerned.
His mission follows a first one conducted two months ago by another Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) expert, Dr Wilfred Hammond.
He made the recommendation during a debriefing session on his mission at the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) training room last week.
Present were the principal secretary for fisheries and agriculture Michel Nalletamby, chief executive of the Seychelles Agricultural Agency (SAA) Marc Naiken and other partners from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Dr Georgen stressed on the need to de-emphasise the use of pest control and chemical pesticides and rather adopt an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy in its place.
This is because IPM is an environmentally sensitive way to manage plant pests, using appropriate cultural, biological and chemical strategies. It uses a combination of practices and control methods to prevent problems from occurring rather than dealing with them after they have happened. IPM control methods include: biological control – using predators, parasites or microbial pathogens to suppress pests, cultural and physical control – using methods such as barriers, traps and cultivation techniques which expose pests to predation or destroy their food, shelter and breeding habitats, and genetic control – releasing sterilised male insects to decrease the incidence of successful mating of pest species.
Chemical control can also be applied, but only if it involves selecting the least toxic pesticides and using them only when needed as opposed to regular preventative spraying.
“If pesticides are to be used, they should be bio and environmentally friendly,” Dr Georgen has insisted.
He has warned of the dangers which other forms of pesticides can bring to the Seychelles’ fauna which he says is 50% endemic.
He added that pest control is not sustainable not only in economic and environmental terms, but also in terms of public health.
Going back to the origin of the hairy caterpillar which to date remains a mystery, Dr Georgen revealed that after an analysis of samples by the National History Museum of London, it is believed that the pest has originated from 30 undescribed species which exist in the Indian Ocean area. The observation seems to confirm the general belief here that the hairy caterpillar has been introduced in a way or another. In exactly what way, remains to be identified.
The biosystematist has added that it is also important to continue to monitor and study the pest in terms of its reproduction cycle and habits.
He also called for public involvement in the fight against the hairy caterpillar, emphasising that for this to happen, it is necessary to always disseminate available information to the general public.
He also warned that the authorities should consider that Seychelles is in turn a potential source of infestation for other parts of the world. Consequently, he advised, containment measures have to be applied at the country’s exit points.
Dr Georgen however ended his presentation on a positive note, saying we should not be pessimistic as the hairy caterpillar has not caused much harm elsewhere. This he said is a sign that it can eventually be controlled, in spite of its massive reproduction in the Seychelles’ environment, and with the absence of specific predators which could help destroy them.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=247008

Avoid using pesticides against hairy caterpillars, warns expert

06-October-2015
Avoid using synthetic pesticides against hairy caterpillars!Dr Georgen speaking at the debriefing session
The strong recommendation which has also come in the form of an alert is from a biosystematist and technical expert from the Food and Agricultural Organisation.
Dr Georg Georgen is currently in Seychelles to identify and help implement what is hoped to be an effective hairy caterpillar control programme.
During his stay, he has conducted site visits, carried out observations, collect caterpillar samples and relevant data and met individuals and organisations concerned.
His mission follows a first one conducted two months ago by another Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) expert, Dr Wilfred Hammond.
He made the recommendation during a debriefing session on his mission at the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) training room last week.
Present were the principal secretary for fisheries and agriculture Michel Nalletamby, chief executive of the Seychelles Agricultural Agency (SAA) Marc Naiken and other partners from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Dr Georgen stressed on the need to de-emphasise the use of pest control and chemical pesticides and rather adopt an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy in its place.
This is because IPM is an environmentally sensitive way to manage plant pests, using appropriate cultural, biological and chemical strategies. It uses a combination of practices and control methods to prevent problems from occurring rather than dealing with them after they have happened. IPM control methods include: biological control – using predators, parasites or microbial pathogens to suppress pests, cultural and physical control – using methods such as barriers, traps and cultivation techniques which expose pests to predation or destroy their food, shelter and breeding habitats, and genetic control – releasing sterilised male insects to decrease the incidence of successful mating of pest species.
Chemical control can also be applied, but only if it involves selecting the least toxic pesticides and using them only when needed as opposed to regular preventative spraying.
“If pesticides are to be used, they should be bio and environmentally friendly,” Dr Georgen has insisted.
He has warned of the dangers which other forms of pesticides can bring to the Seychelles’ fauna which he says is 50% endemic.
He added that pest control is not sustainable not only in economic and environmental terms, but also in terms of public health.
Going back to the origin of the hairy caterpillar which to date remains a mystery, Dr Georgen revealed that after an analysis of samples by the National History Museum of London, it is believed that the pest has originated from 30 undescribed species which exist in the Indian Ocean area. The observation seems to confirm the general belief here that the hairy caterpillar has been introduced in a way or another. In exactly what way, remains to be identified.
The biosystematist has added that it is also important to continue to monitor and study the pest in terms of its reproduction cycle and habits.
He also called for public involvement in the fight against the hairy caterpillar, emphasising that for this to happen, it is necessary to always disseminate available information to the general public.
He also warned that the authorities should consider that Seychelles is in turn a potential source of infestation for other parts of the world. Consequently, he advised, containment measures have to be applied at the country’s exit points.
Dr Georgen however ended his presentation on a positive note, saying we should not be pessimistic as the hairy caterpillar has not caused much harm elsewhere. This he said is a sign that it can eventually be controlled, in spite of its massive reproduction in the Seychelles’ environment, and with the absence of specific predators which could help destroy them.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=247008

Presentation of Seychelles National Agriculture Investment Plan

20-November-2015
‘Demand can be satisfied locally’

For the past eight years, the Seychelles government has been working on a national plan to revive the agriculture and fisheries sectors and ensure better food security for the Seychellois population.

As a result, it has come up with the Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan (SNAIP), a four-year strategy covering the period 2016-2020 and which is expected to cost R1.5 billion.
The Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Wallace Cosgrow has explained that as the Seychelles government will be by itself unable to finance the entire plan, it has to turn to potential partners to seek financial, technical and other forms of support for its implementation.

Minister Cosgrow was speaking at a high level business meeting at the Eden Bleu Hotel yesterday morning, where the plan was presented to the prospective partners.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=247557

‘Government remains committed to boost agriculture and fishery sectors’

16-June-2016
Budget allocations to the agriculture and fishery sectors have increased by 25% this year and this shows government’s commitment to ensuring the two sectors receive the necessary support as they are considered among others, to have the potential to boost economic growth.
The Minister for Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy, Jean-Paul Adam, made the remark during Question Time in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
“It is part of the government’s strategy to reinforce the capacity of the productive sectors,” Minister Adam stressed.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=249841

New programmes in the offing to boost farming and fishing

22-June-2016


By next month, programmes to help promote the agriculture and fisheries sector are expected to be launched for the capacity building training of current and future fishermen.
This follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA).
This MoU is being supported by Ifad (International Fund for Agricultural Development) under the Clissa (Competitive Local Innovations for Small-scale Agriculture) project.
There are three components to this agreement, and the first two are the programmes which include a safety at sea course and the other about inboard and outboard engines.
The third mechanism is to complete the fisheries science laboratory by the end of December.
Youths with an interest in the Blue economy will get the chance to make use of this new lab which will be managed by an expert being brought in who will also be teaching fisheries science.
The agreement was signed by the Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Wallace Cosgrow, the SMA assistant director Captain Wilton Ernesta and the project manager for Clissa George Bibi.
Minister Cosgrow said since SMA is the only institution providing education and programmes in the maritime field and grooming fishermen, it’s only right that his ministry enters into a partnership to provide training with a local institution.
Speaking about the various components he said: “The training on engines will be beneficial in cases of emergency, and it will probably reduce the costs fishermen have to bear when repairs are needed as they will be able to do it themselves and hopefully pass on the benefits of the reduced costs to consumers in the price they sell their fish on the market as this is the ultimate aim.”
He noted the importance of the laboratory for the development of the fisheries sector, as the students need to be trained with a certain level of knowledge of fisheries science as they enter the world of work.
In relation to the safety at sea programme, he said too often the government bears excessive costs during rescue operations and even lives lost which could have been avoided if proper training was provided.
“We leave all this in the capable hands of SMA to train our people so that eventually in the future we can have a more professional workforce in the fisheries sector while attracting the youth altogether to join this sector,” he said.
Mr Bibi said under this agreement SMA will be able to conduct activities to help fishermen especially to promote security while they go fishing and to teach them the basics on how to maintain their machines or engines.
He said Clissa is targeting about 40% boat owners or fishermen to take part in the various activities.
For his part, Captain Ernesta expressed his gratitude for this accord and they are confident that after their experts have delivered in return there will be good results.
The agreement is expected to terminate within six months but since it is a performance agreement it may be extended for a longer period after an evaluation is done.
Present during the signing was the principal secretary for fisheries and agriculture Michel Nalletamby and representatives of the Clissa project.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=249902

‘Mon swete ankor kapab fer lagrikiltir ziska laz 100-an’

24-June-2016

Ozordi aze 74-an, Madanm Diana Belle in fer lagrikiltir pour 36-an e i sanmenm son gannypen e i dir i ti a swete ankor kapab pratik son metye ziska 100-an si Bon Dye i permet li ariv sa laz.
Malgre son laz Madanm Belle i ankor vreman for e aktiv e napa okenn gran problenm lasante. Madanm Belle, ki son laferm i trouve Au Cap, i konmela travay litousel avek en travayer depi ki son msye in mor 3-an pase.
I dir i pa’n zanmen fer okenn lezot louvraz apard ki fer lagrikiltir e reste kot lakour pour fer son bann zanfan grandi.
I annan li 1 fiy ek 4 garson.
«Sete ler mon dernyen zanfan ki ozordi i annnan 42-an ti annan 6-an ki mon ti zwenn mon msye pou fer lagrikiltir aplentan,” Madanm Belle i dir.
Sa madanm, ki son laferm avek tou son bann viv in anba delo 2 fwa -- enn letan siklonn Feleng ti pase detrwa lannen pase -- i dir sa bann defi parey pa’n zanmen fer li dekouraze.
Apard sa i fer fas avek bokou lezot difikilte parey sanzman klima ki afekte prodiksyon ek rannman, vol lo son laferm, mank mendev, bann ‘input’ ki i bezwen ki parfwa i dir i enpe tro ser, son laferm ki inonde avek gro lapli parmi lezot ankor. Me Madanm Belle i toultan kontan son metye menm.
Lo son laferm Madam Belle i plant en varyete legim ensi ki gro manze. I ti osi kontan plant betrav me konmela i pa vin tro byen.
«Si ou napa leker pour sa metye i pa fasil sirtou avek soley ki tap vreman for konmela,» Madanm Belle i dir.
Me kwa ki fer sa madanm ankor kontan zwe dan later, ki kalite satisfaksyon sa i anmennen pour li?
“Mon kontan sa louvraz akoz i donn mwan bokou lazwa e mon’n sitan abitye fer li ki mon krwar mon pou malad si mon arete,” i dir.
Madanm Belle I senserman krwar i annan bokou rannman ek benefis dan lagrikiltir me selman ou bezwen travay pour prodwir, fer bokou sakrifis e osi annan pasyans e konnen ki mannyer pour market ou prodwi sinon sa osi i kapab en problem, i ti eksplike.
Menm si i ti a swete kapab kontinyen travay pour ankor bokou lannen, Madanm Belle i konnen i pou bezwen mazin pran son repo e letan sa zour i arive enn son bann garson ava pran larelev.
Me ki mannyer i vwar lagrikiltir dan Sesel ozordi ?
«Lagrikiltir konmela i pli fasil, nou servi rakor ek sprinkler e mon annan 2 rotovator menn si zot pa pe fonksyonnen pour le moman. Mon ti menm annan shade house lo mon laferm me la avek laz mon pa pe deside konstrir ankor shade house,» Madanm Belle i dir.
I fer remarke ki bann zenn zot sanse pour al lekol pour aprann fer lagrikiltir me i difisil pour konnen akoz zot pa kontinyen apre.
«Sa ler, si zot ti konsantre zot ti pou viv byen menm, akoz ler ou plante zanmen ou napa larzan dan ou lanmen. Petet gouvernman i devret ed zot plis , swiv zot pli byen e gid zot pour konmanse e dapre mwan petet zot napa ase sa finans pour konmanse,» Madanm Belle i fer remarke.
Fodre dir ki dan son letan lib Madanm Belle i plante menm me selman i swazir pour plant fler.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=249932

Minister Charlette attends the Leadership-4-Agriculture Forum
http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=256856