Excerpt and Photo from UNDP.ORG
A three-day consultative workshop was organised in Rodrigues from 22 to 24 October under the ‘Sustainable Land Management and Biodiversity Conservation in the Republic of Mauritius’ (SLM) Project. Chaired by the Department Head of the Commission for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Production, Forestry and Plant and Animal Quarantine, the workshop was attended by over 50 representatives from the various commissions of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, institutions, NGOs and Farmers Associations. This initiative aimed at engaging key stakeholders, and gathering additional data and insights to inform project implementation and decision making.
The Sustainable Land Management Project is funded by the Global Environment Facility, and implemented by the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, through the Forestry Service, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It aims to address these issues by scaling up the adoption of sustainable land management in production landscapes in Mauritius and Rodrigues. The expected outcomes include a strengthened policy and institutional framework; the development of skills, tools and incentives to pilot and implement SLM practices; and improving knowledge management and gender mainstreaming.
Strengthening policy and institutional framework
The first day of the workshop focused on the legal component of the project and included presentations which highlighted specific laws on sustainable land management in Rodrigues. Participants engaged in group sessions on current unsustainable land management practices, gaps in existing legislation, and the main challenges preventing the implementation of these laws on the island. Discussions also touched on the effective implementation of regulations concerning Environmentally Sensitive Areas, noting that in Rodrigues, around 80% of the land areafalls within one of the designated ESA types. The feedback received from participants will help to strengthen the policy and institutional framework for the promotion of SLM in Rodrigues.