Au marché de Port-Louis, samedi, le constat était mitigé. Si certains marchands expliquent que les prix des légumes sont restés sensiblement les mêmes, d’autres, en revanche, admettent qu’il y a eu une majoration.
Chez un marchand qui opère depuis plusieurs années au Marché central, le prix des pommes d’amour a augmenté en quelques jours. Si le demi-kilo coûtait environ Rs 35 avant le passage de Dumilé, il est maintenant affiché entre Rs 45 et Rs 50. Chez un autre de ses collègues, la laitue qui se vendait à Rs 15 est maintenant offerte à Rs 20.
Une bonne foule était présente au Marché central, samedi matin, et un consommateur ne manquait pas de pester contre les prix qu’il découvrait. « Un pâtisson à Rs 60 ! Regardez ces légumes ! Comment le Mauricien va-t-il faire tourner sa cuisine ? » s’interroge-t-il. Un vendeur est, lui, bien contraint d’acquiescer faiblement de la tête avec une certaine sollicitude. Le pire reste néanmoins à venir.
Affairé à mettre de l’ordre dans ses bottes de persil, un marchand explique : « Il a beaucoup plu, puis le soleil est apparu. Cela a carrément tout brûlé ». Un de ses collègues poursuit : « Lundi mem ou pu trouve kuma tou pou monte ».
Un constat qui rejoint celui de Kreepalloo Sunghoon, secrétaire de la Small Planters Association. « Après le passage du cyclone, il y a eu quelques augmentations. Mais c’est à partir de la semaine prochaine que le consommateur devrait ressentir les effets de son passage, lorsque les légumes qui ont été récoltés après le 3 janvier seront sur le marché », explique-t-il. « Après les grosses pluies, le soleil risque bien d’avoir un effet des plus néfastes sur certains légumes, à l’instar des brèdes ou encore des pommes d’amour », souligne notre interlocuteur.
Quelques prix pratiqués
Pomme d’amour Rs 45 le demi-kilo
Chou Rs 40 la pièce
Chou-fleur Rs 35 la pièce
Laitue Rs 20 la pièce
Pâtisson Rs 60 la pièce
Bringelles Rs 10 le demi-kilo
Margoze Rs 20 le demi-kilo
Pomme de terre Rs 15 le demi-kilo
Thursday, January 17, 2013
SÉCURITÉ ALIMENTAIRE—PLAN STRATÉGIQUE 2013-2015 : Rs 154 millions pour la mise en œuvre de nouveaux projets
Le plan stratégique du Fonds de la sécurité alimentaire pour la période 2013-2015 concernera aussi l’allocation de terres additionnelles pour la culture agricole, la préparation mécanique des terres allouées aux cultures vivrières, l’aménagement de système de drains, des installations d’irrigation et d’autres infrastructures agricoles, l’octroi des mesures incitatives aux planteurs pour la production de semences de qualité et introduction et élargissement de nouvelles souches de champignons qui peuvent être exploités sur le plan commercial. Une maison modèle de boutons de champignons sera mise en place pour la démonstration aux agro-entrepreneurs.
Est également prévue la création de cinq vergers modèles dans cinq régions différentes pour la mangue, l’atte, l’atemoya, le jacque, le fruit à pain, l’avocat, la pamplemousse, le corossol, le bilimbi, entre autres. De plus, le ministère compte encourager les planteurs à cultiver des plantes amylacées locales comme le manioc, la banane et le fruit à pain. Il va aussi examiner quelques-unes des mesures incitatives initiées sous le Fonds de sécurité alimentaire en vue de les adaptées aux besoins de la communauté agricole. Le programme de formation des agriculteurs sur les bonnes pratiques agricoles sera consolidé.
Concernant la production de viande de cerf, une nouvelle salle de découpe certifiée, qui répondra aux normes du HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), sera créée à l’abattoir central. Des porcheries existantes seront aussi mises à niveau selon les lignes directrices sur les bonnes pratiques d’élevage.
Un Agricultural Production Marketing Information System (APMIS) verra le jour pour assurer une meilleure diffusion des informations à la communauté agricole. Le ministère compte également construire un National Wholesale Market, doté de toutes les infrastructures nécessaires pour le traitement de fruits et légumes. Ce marché sera équipé d’installations post-récolte pour la revente répondant aux législations existantes et les normes agricoles et alimentaires.
Le contrôle des pesticides est par ailleurs au programme de ce plan. Les résidus au niveau des pesticides dans les fruits et légumes dans les vergers seront surveillés. Un taux élevé de résidus renverra le planteur concerné aux bonnes pratiques agricoles et le verger à une surveillance continue.
Selon le ministère de l’Agro-industrie, plus de 90 % des activités mentionnées dans le plan de la sécurité alimentaire du Fonds stratégique pour la période couvrant 2008 à 2011 ont été mises en œuvre. Certaines mesures qui avaient pris du retard en 2011 ont été achevées en 2012. Parmi les principales réalisations, on relève que la production vivrière a augmenté de 17 % passant de 99 507 tonnes en 2007 à 116 000 tonnes en 2012 ; la production de pommes de terre a aussi connu une hausse de 50 % passant de 5 367 tonnes en 2007 à 23 000 tonnes en 2012, soit environ 95 % du taux d’autosuffisance contre 68 % en 2007.
Source: Le Mauricien 16.01.13
In Africa, young women are the most eager adopters of web2.0 and social media; a study by CTA reveals
CTA’s web2.0 training programme has sparked enormous interest across
ACP countries. Organisations and individuals have shown themselves
hungry to learn about social tools and platforms which can support their
collaborative work, and how social media can be adapted to their
particular contexts and needs. But which groups are the most
enthusiastic adopters of web2.0 tools, and what impact does that
adoption have, in terms of personal development, institutional changes,
and new opportunities for beneficiaries in the context of development?
In a bid to learn from three years of its web2.0 training programme (2008-2010), CTA commissioned an impact study to better understand the factors that influence adoption, as well as the outcomes. In this post we summarise what has been learned, as CTA seeks to fine-tune and upscale its work in this area. A subsequent blog post will summarise some of the main recommendations that emerged from the study which was carried out by Euforic Services Ltd.
Reaching out across ACP countries
Between 2008
and 2010, CTA delivered 20 web2.0 related capacity building events,
reaching a total of 510 trainees from over 20 ACP countries, mainly in
Africa.
Most took part in the five-day Web2.0 Learning Opportunities courses,
co-facilitated by local trainers with support and coaching from CTA.
Other events included short, one to two day awareness raising courses,
and courses targeting specific web 2.0 and social media applications.
CTA also co-funded distance learning courses run by UNITAR (United
Nations Institute for Training and Research).
The participants were very diverse in terms of age, gender, organisation and role, although the majority worked in education and research. Most had limited exposure to web2.0 applications before they joined the training, with some believing that the tools were only important for ICT experts. As a result of the training, nearly 80% developed an understanding of the tools, and became acquainted with applications previously unknown to them. At a general level, the most widely adopted tools were social networks, internet-based telephone calls (VoIP), and tools for remote collaboration, such as wikis or Google docs.
Patterns of web2.0 adoption by gender, age and workplace
In terms of age, it’s perhaps not surprising that trainees under 36 were found to be more likely to adopt web2.0 applications,
except
for online social networking, which interestingly was not affected by
age. Also interesting is that females had higher adoption rates than
males for almost every web2.0 application. While other studies have
found men to be generally more familiar with ICT than women, in terms of
this sub-set of women, mainly professionals, the pattern is different.
When looking at specific tools, the women were found to more readily use
tags and bookmarks, social networks and internet-based phone calling.
This appears to fit with existing research that has found women to be
more organised in the workplace than men: they are also more likely to
adopt content-organising tools like tags and bookmarks.
In terms of organisations, those working for NGOs and national and international organisations were more likely to adopt web2.0 tools than those in educational and research institutions; this could be explained by the tendency for NGOs to have generally younger staff. Looking at specific jobs, 92% of community workers were found to use social network sites, compared to around 60% of researchers. Community workers and journalists had the highest adoption rate for blogs and e-lists. Journalists were also more likely to use wikis and Google docs than other groups, while around 60% of students used tags and bookmarks. Overall, younger Anglophone women had the highest adoption rates for web2.0 and social media tools, whatever their professional background. More informed, more connected, more efficient development professionals
So what difference has training on web2.0 applications made to the trainees? Nearly 90% of trainees believe they have improved their capacity to search for, access and share information, using their new tools to keep up-to-date with developments in their fields of interest. Well over half the participants say they have improved their information management skills.
The trainees have also become more connected, participating in online groups and communities, which CTA supports through the Web2forDev online groups it animates on LinkedIn, DGroups and Facebook. Some 45% report having become more efficient in online collaboration and conferencing, and one third have run their own web2.0 training to share the skills they have learned.
Web2.0 in the organisation
Sharing of skills among colleagues is the most common way by which trainees’ organisations have benefited from the web2.0 training.
Most often, this is done by sharing the iMark module, a CD / online
learning programme that individuals can work through independently.
Bringing about systematic change in institutions, either at operational
or strategic level is much more challenging; the extent to which this
has occurred has depended on the individual initiative of trainees and
their position within their organisation.
Where trainees have succeeded in mainstreaming the new applications within their institutions, the number of communication channels used in the organisation has increased. This has enabled some organisations to deliver up-to-date information to their beneficiaries, while others have gained visibility from being on the net. A few organisations have also started changing their information management and communication systems, leading to a reduction in communication costs for some.
The CTA capacity building programme has had a particularly strong impact on the institutions that hosted the training courses. Up to six staff members from each institution participated in the courses, and most have subsequently organised in-house training for other staff. Several lecturers have introduced web2.0 applications to their students, and have used them to improve their own communication and information sharing with students. Three host institutes have informally included web2.0 training in their teaching curriculum, or plan to introduce ICT frameworks within which use of web2.0 applications can be adopted.
Web2.0 on the ground
In some cases, outcomes from the training have also contributed to positive change among farmers and communities.
In
one case, farmers were introduced to web2.0 and social media tools,
which they started using to research information on good agricultural
practices. This has, in turn, led to the adoption of improved farming
activities. In another example, scientists in one research organisation
used Google docs and Skype to discuss and share information from
different farm sites.
Farmers have also learned to use Skype and Facebook to connect with telecentres and to transfer pictures or word files online. One group is even using LinkedIn to share information and discuss new ideas and opportunities.
These examples, though anecdotal, illustrate the power of web2.0 and social media not only for sharing content online, but bringing positive changes to people’s lives and livelihoods. Gathering more evidence of this kind would help us to understand why this happens and how such processes can be fostered.
Source: Link
In a bid to learn from three years of its web2.0 training programme (2008-2010), CTA commissioned an impact study to better understand the factors that influence adoption, as well as the outcomes. In this post we summarise what has been learned, as CTA seeks to fine-tune and upscale its work in this area. A subsequent blog post will summarise some of the main recommendations that emerged from the study which was carried out by Euforic Services Ltd.
Reaching out across ACP countries
Between 2008
and 2010, CTA delivered 20 web2.0 related capacity building events,
reaching a total of 510 trainees from over 20 ACP countries, mainly in
Africa.
Most took part in the five-day Web2.0 Learning Opportunities courses,
co-facilitated by local trainers with support and coaching from CTA.
Other events included short, one to two day awareness raising courses,
and courses targeting specific web 2.0 and social media applications.
CTA also co-funded distance learning courses run by UNITAR (United
Nations Institute for Training and Research).The participants were very diverse in terms of age, gender, organisation and role, although the majority worked in education and research. Most had limited exposure to web2.0 applications before they joined the training, with some believing that the tools were only important for ICT experts. As a result of the training, nearly 80% developed an understanding of the tools, and became acquainted with applications previously unknown to them. At a general level, the most widely adopted tools were social networks, internet-based telephone calls (VoIP), and tools for remote collaboration, such as wikis or Google docs.
Patterns of web2.0 adoption by gender, age and workplace
In terms of age, it’s perhaps not surprising that trainees under 36 were found to be more likely to adopt web2.0 applications,
except
for online social networking, which interestingly was not affected by
age. Also interesting is that females had higher adoption rates than
males for almost every web2.0 application. While other studies have
found men to be generally more familiar with ICT than women, in terms of
this sub-set of women, mainly professionals, the pattern is different.
When looking at specific tools, the women were found to more readily use
tags and bookmarks, social networks and internet-based phone calling.
This appears to fit with existing research that has found women to be
more organised in the workplace than men: they are also more likely to
adopt content-organising tools like tags and bookmarks.In terms of organisations, those working for NGOs and national and international organisations were more likely to adopt web2.0 tools than those in educational and research institutions; this could be explained by the tendency for NGOs to have generally younger staff. Looking at specific jobs, 92% of community workers were found to use social network sites, compared to around 60% of researchers. Community workers and journalists had the highest adoption rate for blogs and e-lists. Journalists were also more likely to use wikis and Google docs than other groups, while around 60% of students used tags and bookmarks. Overall, younger Anglophone women had the highest adoption rates for web2.0 and social media tools, whatever their professional background. More informed, more connected, more efficient development professionals
So what difference has training on web2.0 applications made to the trainees? Nearly 90% of trainees believe they have improved their capacity to search for, access and share information, using their new tools to keep up-to-date with developments in their fields of interest. Well over half the participants say they have improved their information management skills.
The trainees have also become more connected, participating in online groups and communities, which CTA supports through the Web2forDev online groups it animates on LinkedIn, DGroups and Facebook. Some 45% report having become more efficient in online collaboration and conferencing, and one third have run their own web2.0 training to share the skills they have learned.
Web2.0 in the organisation
Sharing of skills among colleagues is the most common way by which trainees’ organisations have benefited from the web2.0 training.
Most often, this is done by sharing the iMark module, a CD / online
learning programme that individuals can work through independently.
Bringing about systematic change in institutions, either at operational
or strategic level is much more challenging; the extent to which this
has occurred has depended on the individual initiative of trainees and
their position within their organisation.Where trainees have succeeded in mainstreaming the new applications within their institutions, the number of communication channels used in the organisation has increased. This has enabled some organisations to deliver up-to-date information to their beneficiaries, while others have gained visibility from being on the net. A few organisations have also started changing their information management and communication systems, leading to a reduction in communication costs for some.
The CTA capacity building programme has had a particularly strong impact on the institutions that hosted the training courses. Up to six staff members from each institution participated in the courses, and most have subsequently organised in-house training for other staff. Several lecturers have introduced web2.0 applications to their students, and have used them to improve their own communication and information sharing with students. Three host institutes have informally included web2.0 training in their teaching curriculum, or plan to introduce ICT frameworks within which use of web2.0 applications can be adopted.
Web2.0 on the ground
In some cases, outcomes from the training have also contributed to positive change among farmers and communities.
In
one case, farmers were introduced to web2.0 and social media tools,
which they started using to research information on good agricultural
practices. This has, in turn, led to the adoption of improved farming
activities. In another example, scientists in one research organisation
used Google docs and Skype to discuss and share information from
different farm sites. Farmers have also learned to use Skype and Facebook to connect with telecentres and to transfer pictures or word files online. One group is even using LinkedIn to share information and discuss new ideas and opportunities.
These examples, though anecdotal, illustrate the power of web2.0 and social media not only for sharing content online, but bringing positive changes to people’s lives and livelihoods. Gathering more evidence of this kind would help us to understand why this happens and how such processes can be fostered.
Source: Link
Saturday, January 12, 2013
AGRICULTURE : Pas de pénurie de légumes dans le pays
Une visite a été effectuée hier dans le grenier de l’île Maurice, soit à Glen Park, La Marie et aux alentours, par le ministre de l’Agro-industrie, des techniciens agricoles ainsi que des responsables du Small Farmers Welfare Fund (SFWF) et ceux de l’Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU). Ces derniers ont fait un constat des conséquences qu’a pu avoir le passage du cyclone Dumile sur la côte ouest la semaine dernière sur la culture des légumes. Aucun gros dégât n’a été observé et, selon des planteurs, les pluies qui sont tombées ont été très bénéfiques à l’agriculture. Environ 3 000 arpents sont cultivés dans la région par 800 planteurs.
« Ena boukou pom damour dan mo godam, ki sanla pe dir pena legim ? » lance Rama Hurry, planteur de longue date à La Marie lorsqu’on l’interroge sur la situation de la production agricole après le passage du cyclone Dumile. Il estime que ce sont des planteurs qui ne veulent pas travailler qui trouvent « ki karo finn gayn bate ek ki oule DBM rey zot lonn, sa mem zot dir pena legim ».
Rama Hurry dit avoir travaillé pendant la dernière période de fêtes de fin d’année pour approvisionner les marchés. À la question pourquoi le prix de certains légumes est en hausse, le planteur répond que c’est à cause de la dernière sécheresse qui a sévi dans le pays. « La sécheresse n’atteint pas le marché tout de suite, mais après deux ou trois mois », explique-t-il.
Manirath Ramjee, autre planteur, trouve que les pluies sont arrivées à temps et ont été bénéfiques à ses plantes. Le planteur et ses travailleurs étaient en train de récolter de grosses betteraves et bringelles, certaines de plus d’un kilo.
De son côté, le directeur du SFWF Kritanand Beeharry estime que la situation retournera à la normale sur le marché dans deux ou trois semaines. « Normalement, cette région aurait dû être la première affectée par le passage du cyclone vu qu’elle se trouve en hauteur mais elle n’en a été rien. Nous l’avons tous constaté », a déclaré, pour sa part le ministre de l’Agro-industrie Satish Faugoo qui déplore certaines déclarations sur la situation de la production agricole après le passage de Dumile « sans un véritable constat à travers le pays ». Aux journalistes, il montre de grosses bringelles et betteraves, des carottes, des pommes d’amour en très bon état en train d’être récoltées par les planteurs. Selon lui, il ne devrait y avoir aucun impact sur les prix des légumes au marché au vu de la situation dans les plantations.
Satish Faugoo rappelle que la hausse des prix au marché en fin et en début d’année n’est pas nouvelle. « Tous les ans c’est pareil à cause d’un manque de légumes au marché durant cette période. Cela parce que les planteurs ne travaillent pas pendant les deux dernières semaines de l’année, soit la période festive, et aussi durant les deux premières semaines de la nouvelle année », dit-il rappelant que la sécheresse affecte les plantations en décembre.
Le ministre de l’Agro-industrie ne voit aucune raison pour justifier une hausse des prix des légumes au marché, d’où son appel aux maraîchers pour ne pas créer une pénurie artificielle. Selon Satish Faugoo, comme le marché est libre, l’offre et la demande devraient pouvoir contrôler les prix. Il rappelle cependant aux maraîchers qu’ils ont un devoir moral envers la population.
En ce qu’il s’agit de la production de la pomme de terre, Satish Faugoo se dit heureux de constater que son autosuffisance a atteint les 98 %, voire les 100 %. Maurice en a même exporté une certaine quantité vers La Réunion l’année dernière. « Il nous faut nous occuper maintenant du problème de stockage de la pomme de terre », souligne-t-il.
Le ministre se penchera aussi sur la production d’oignon et d’ail en vue d’atteindre l’autosuffisance le plus tôt possible. Pour Satish Faugoo, il faut réduire davantage nos importations de pomme de terre, d’oignon et d’ail. Selon lui, l’année 2013 devrait être meilleure, que 2012, sur ce plan.
Source: Le Mauricien 12.01.13
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Post-Dumilé – Les légumes plus chers la semaine prochaine
Le passage du cyclone Dumilé n’a pas épargné nos légumes. Si certains marchands se sont empressés d’augmenter leurs prix, le véritable effet post-cyclone se fera ressentir la semaine prochaine.
Source: http://www.defimedia.info/
Saturday, January 5, 2013
YPARD Funding News Bulletin
Latest Funding Opportunities
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Funding News Bulletin
This bulletin provides twice a month information about available funding opportunities which are posted on the www.ypard.net website. If you have any comment or question about this information service, please contact YPARD at info@ypard.net.
Latest funding opportunities | ||
University of Oxford: PhD Support in Crop Science, Biodiversity, and Conservation
Deadline:
18 Jan 2013
With financial support provided by the Louis Dreyfus Foundation, the University of Oxford invites PhD applicants from Africa, Asia, and South America for doctoral studies in food security (crop science, biodiversity, conservation). Scholarships will cover tuition fees and living expenses for three years.
The university posts the available projects, requesting interested candidates to directly contact the project supervisors. U.S. National Science Foundation: Plant Genome Research
Deadline:
13 Mar 2013
The National Science Foundation (USA) funds several areas of research to explore grand challenge questions in plants of economic importance on a genome-wide scale in itsPlant Genome Research Program.
USAID: Transfer of Agricultural Innovation from India to Africa
Deadline:
20 Mar 2013
The U.S. Agency for International Development in India (USAID-Delhi) invites applications for the India-Africa Agricultural Innovation Bridge Program. The program will make grants to transfer proven Indian agriculture innovations to Liberia, Kenya, and Malawi.
Eligibility for grants extends to Indian nonprofit organizations, as well as to Indian business organizations willing to forego profits. Universities and research organizations in India are among the eligible groups. Food Security Center and Kasetsart University: Short-Term Scholarships for Asians 2013
Deadline:
06 Jan 2013
The Food Security Center at the University of Hohenheim collaborates with strategic partners to promote higher education and research related to agriculture and food security. Among the partners is Kasetsart University, Thailand.
IIASA: Young Scientists Summer Program 2013
The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) invites applications from doctoral students worldwide to participate in its Young Scientists Summer Program to be held at IIASA's headquarters in Laxenburg, Austria.
Fondation Ensemble: Program Fund and Small Grants 2013
Deadline:
08 Feb 2013
Fondation Ensemble supports field projects in water, sanitation, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, eco-habitat, and biodiversity conservation.
French Development Agency (L'AFD): Grants to NGOs for Agriculture and Climate Change
Deadline:
14 Feb 2013French Institute for Development Research (IRD): North/South Research Collaboration
Deadline:
15 Feb 2013
The French Institute for Development Research (IRD) sponsors the program PEERS to reinforce research capacity in the global "South." Priority themes include agriculture, aquaculture, climate change, and energy (among others).
SICRISA 2013: Climate Research and Information Services in South Asia
Deadline:
31 Jan 2013
The Institute of Development Studies contributes to the program SICRISA (Support to Improve Climate Research and Information Services in South Asia).
Academy of Sciences for the Developing World: TWAS Prizes 2013
Deadline:
28 Feb 2013
Each year, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) awards prizes of US$15 thousand to individual scientists in each of eight fields: agricultural sciences; biology; chemistry; earth sciences; engineering sciences; mathematics; medical sciences; and physics.
The basis of the awards are as follows: International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology: Grants for Research 2013
Deadline:
29 Apr 2013
The International Center for Genetic Engineering (ICGEB) offers research grants to support projects in agricultural biotechnology, environmental bio-remediation, and many other fields.
World Food Prize and Borlaug Field Award: Nominations 2013
Deadline:
30 Apr 2013
The World Food Prize Foundation invites nominations for the World Food Prize, and for the Borlaug Field Award.
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Source: YPARD
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