Planters Excellence Award: Eighteen Award-Winning National Farmers

Eighteen farmers, including three women, were honored at the national level during the second edition of the Planters Excellence Award Nite organized by the Small Farmers Welfare Fund last night at La Plantation Balaclava .
On this occasion , the Minister of Agro Industry Satish Faugoo warned against the misuse of pesticides , noting that it has been shown that residues of these chemicals are responsible for the increase in the number of cancer cases Mauritius.The second edition of the Planters Excellence Award Nite ( Pean ), organized by the Small Farmers Welfare Fund ( SFWF ) , was held last night at the Hotel La Plantation Balaclava .
On this occasion , 18 farmers, including three women, were honored at the national level . Speaking at the event, Minister of Agro -Industry warned the audience against pesticides. Their use , said Satish Faugoo is singled out in the increase of cancer cases in Mauritius.Six categories were involved in the competition ( tea, tobacco, fruit , protected crops , sugar cane and vegetables) .
Of the 318 farmers who participated, 53 were Rodrigues, two of which had already won an award last week. As for the big winners Mauritian it is : Yogeeswar Jheengut ( tea category ) Sattiadev Ramsurn (tobacco) , Deepak Kumar Goolap (fruit ) Gooroodev Bhurooa ( protected crops ) Harishan Dave Ramdewor (sugar cane ) and Ajaye Somary ( vegetables).
All six have won a trip to Rodrigues worth Rs 25,000 ."By offering this award symbolically , we are to recognize the work and contribution of farmers in the country's economy . We also send a strong signal to the government to target excellence in all areas , "commented the minister Satish Faugoo . Continuing , he said that Mauritius imports more than 70% of its food . "If the farmers had not made ??efforts, this percentage has increased. But we can turn the tide in certain products , such as potato , onion and garlic, for example , " he said .
According to him, " we do not have a choice: either we continue to import or is produced more in order to reduce our imports ."The minister said that Pean is a way to educate farmers on good agricultural practices . "These practices exist? Yes and no. Will he abuse of pesticides? The answer is yes , but all farmers will respond in the negative. But we see its impact in cancer in Mauritius. It is a great challenge for us, " he said , before adding : " I do not think we will reward farmers misusing pesticides. " On this point, the minister is adamant that we can now reap an area of ??one acre , you can multiply it by ten adopting good agricultural practices and new technologies.Mr. Faugoo also talked about the preservation of land for agricultural purposes. " We discourage the abandonment of land . A good balance is needed between industrial development and food security . " However, the government's vision , he says , is precisely to help farmers become entrepreneurs. "We can no longer work as it did 30 or 40 years ago .
Must be entered in the processing of products, " he launched towards farmers. And finally announce that farmers will also be invited to participate in Planters Excellence Award Scheme next year.