A Strategy For Biotechnology Research: Mauritius
Robert Antoine and Gabrielle Persley Food and Agriculture Research Council (Mauritius) and The World Bank
Note: This is a background paper for the International Workshop on Management Strategies and Policies for Agricultural Research in
Small Countries, Réduit. Mauritius. 20 April-2 May 1992.
Introduction
M
auritius is preparing a national strategy for biotechnology research in agriculture and the environment.
The following questions are being considered in elaborating this strategy: What is the demand for
biotechnology applications? What type of biotechnology research does Mauritius need? Should it be
undertaken within the country or can the needed biotechnologies be generated elsewhere and transferred? If
Mauritius is to engage in biotechnology research, then which institutions will conduct it, who will fund it, and
how will the priorities be set?
To answer these strategic questions, the major actors in agricultural technology development and
environmental management in Mauritius were assembled along with representatives from the private sector
who are interested in the benefits that biotechnology applications promise for their agroindustries.
Key representatives from the scientific community at the University of Mauritius and the Mauritius Sugar
Industry Research Institute were present to assess the implications of biotechnology for the country's
national science policy and capacity. Leaders from the technical departments of the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Natural Resources were also present to assess the possible contributions that biotechnology
research might offer their programs. The entire group was chaired by the Food and Agriculture Research
Council, thus bringing together the interests of the scientific community, agricultural industry, and
policymakers in the planning of a national program for biotechnology research and development.
This paper summarizes the approach and conclusions produced at this strategic planning workshop,
which was conducted with the assistance of the World Bank and ISNAR.
Designing a National Agricultural Biotechnology Strategy
Biotechnology has received much attention, and even glamour, within agricultural research and development
circles. However, in order to embark on a biotechnology research program that would yield relevant products
without stretching a country's limited scientific and financial resources, some clear definitions and answers to
practical questions are needed.
What is biotechnology? Does the agricultural and natural resource sector in Mauritius need to apply
biotechnology to solve its key problems? Does it have the necessary elements in place to undertake
research in biotechnology?
Biotechnology is comprised of a continuum of technologies, ranging from traditional, widely used
technologies, which are based on the commercial use of microbes and other living organisms, through to the
more modern strategic research on genetic engineering of plants and animals (Persley 1990, 1991).
Mauritius has been using traditional biotechnology in agriculture for many years, and is moving
progressively into the use of modern biotechnologies. The horticultural industry and its supporting research
services regularly use biotechnology in the form of tissue culture. The deer farming and livestock industries
are considering the use of embryo transfer. The sugar industry, historically the largest industry in the country,
has supported research at the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI), whose breeding program
over the last 40 years has lead to the release of many improved varieties. MSIRI is now using some of the
techniques of modern biotechnology within its plant breeding and pathology programs. The University of
Mauritius has a School of Science, a School of Agriculture, and a School of Engineering with biological
scientists and engineers who can serve as partners to agricultural scientists in a biotechnology program. The
horticultural research and development programs of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural
Resources also employ biotechnology in plant propagation, and there is considerable scope to increase
these applications within horticulture and other programs in the ministry. Private-sector producers of fish,
livestock, and ornamentals are involved in biotechnology applications adopted from other countries.
Mauritius is a small country with the necessary conditions to embark on biotechnology research. First,
there is sufficient background in plant breeding. Second, there is a small but significant community of
biological scientists. Third, the agricultural industry has expressed a demand for technology applications.
Fourth, government policy has supported the development of science and technology in the country. The
government has also enunciated a policy designed to protect and conserve Mauritius's unique natural
environment. Given the diverse set of actors interested in biotechnology and the range of objectives and
possible applications, it seemed necessary to plan the future direction of biotechnology research and
development in the country.
A biotechnology strategy was needed that brought together relevant actors and stakeholders, and which
centered on the priority needs of agriculture and the environment. The strategy was derived from an ISNAR /
World Bank biotechnology project that outlined some key issues:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
problem identification
access to information and technology
intellectual property management
biosafety / regulations
human resources
institutional arrangements
financing
Demand for Biotechnology
In order to identify the research problems that could be addressed by biotechnology, it seemed
necessary to forecast what future problems or issues might influence the direction of biotechnology research.
Even though the current state of agriculture and the research problems experienced in the country are widely
recognized, it is important to ask if these will be the same in 20 years.
Agriculture in Mauritius is dominated by sugar cultivation, which accounts for nearly a third of the export
value of the country. Sugar also occupies most of the arable land and is a major employer. Table 1,
extracted from a study by Professor Manrakhan (1992), clearly shows the dominance of sugar within the
agricultural sector in terms of value, exports, land use, and employment.
After reviewing the alternatives and future scenarios for agriculture and natural resources in Mauritius, the
following 10 points emerged:
1. The sugar industry would continue to dominate the agricultural scene; however, the agriculture
sector would become a relatively less important contributor to total GDP because of growth in
other sectors, such as tourism, manufacturing, and services.
2. Sugar production would remain stable in terms of annual tonnage.
3. The production of sugarcane and associated crops would need to be more efficient if this
commodity is to remain competitive. The following changes in sugar production should take place:
a.higher yield per unit area per unit time
b.more associated cropping with sugarcane (To achieve this, Mauritius will have to become an
even more intensive, high-technology sugar producer.)
4. The sugar industry will work towards greater use of total sugarcane biomass. Additional uses
include livestock feed and energy production.
5. The overall structure of production within agriculture will become more diversified. Agricultural
export diversification will focus on low volume, high-value products, and on more value-added
products from traditional exports. Mauritius will continue to be a major exporter of ornamentals.
Agricultural production will have to be more flexible to shift between exports and to exploit market
windows of opportunity. The costs of food imports may rise as agricultural subsidies are removed
in industrial countries, leading to a greater demand for import substitution in foodstuffs. Mauritius
will witness a different and a higher value mix of crops.
6. There will be less land available and the cost of land will rise.
7. Labor will be both scarcer and costlier.
8. Natural resources, principally land and water, will have to be used more efficiently as the demand
for these will increase for nonagricultural purposes, especially from the urban, tourism, and
industrial sectors.
9. Environmental and conservation issues will become increasingly important as incomes rise and
the demand for improved environmental quality increases.
10. Mauritius's agricultural research and development will be increasingly linked to regional
developments and policies in the Indian Ocean.
Table 1. The Relative Importance of Agriculture in Mauritius, 1986-90
Gross Domestic Product (Rs.m, Current Factor Cost)
% Contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of
a. Agriculture
b Sugar
Total Domestic Exports (Rs.m, Market Price):
Sugar
Molasses
Tea
Fish & Fish Preparations
Vegetables & Fruits
Cut Flowers & Foliage
.Others
% Contribution of Agriculture
Total Domestic Imports (Rs.m, Market Price):
Cereals and Cereal Preparations
Dairy Products
Vegetables & Fruits
% Agriculture & Food Products of Total Imports
Employment in Large Establishments (' 000)
a. Total
b. Agricultural
Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation (Rs.m, Market Price)
% in Agriculture
1986
1987
1988
1989 1990
16,450 19,695 23,181 26,839 31,070
15
15
13
13
12
11.6
10.8
9.3
8.8
8.5
8,918 11,335 13,220 14,542 17,211
3,553
4,328
4,467
4,946 5,105
90
81
92
66
102
104
90
88
89
84
135
132
202
208
160
19
17
43
34
37
19
25
35
52
70
22
32
39
54
70
44.2
41.5
37.6
37.5
32.7
9,199 13,043 17,247 20,217 24,019
446
506
621
852
787
211
255
333
473
513
113
178
200
256
289
15
12
11
13
12
238,285 259,656 267,237 283,152 27,941
52,032 50,012 49,599 47,832 46,845
3,980
5,090
7,990
8,565 11,600
3.3
5.7
2.9
2.3
2.0
Note: Rs.m = million rupees
Source: Manrakhan (1992).
Mauritius 2012
Weighing up the overall scenario, agriculture seems on the brink of becoming more diversified and more
efficient, and it will continue to play animportant role within the diverse economy of Mauritius.
To secure that future, some of the current constraints in agriculture and the environment in Mauritius will
need to be overcome. Key constraints were identified by the biotechnology strategy group; the group
recognized that not all of these constraints could be removed by biotechnology:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
high costs of production in the agricultural sector (due primarily to the high cost and limited
availability of labor)
lack of high-quality genetic material for developing new crops, livestock, and aquaculture
lack of access to high-quality planting material for new crops that have been or could be
introduced
produce of variable quality, constraining the development of exports
seasonal availability of produce as a constraint to securing export markets
distance from major markets
limited land for agriculture and small production capacity of the coun try
pressure on the environment from agroindustry, e.g., exc essive pesticide use, sugar mill effluents
local species endangered, morework needed to conserve local flora and fauna
cyclones limiting choice of crops
small local market
limited access to information and technology assessment
research investments as a percentage of agGDP are low
a significant portion of the agricultural land poor and rocky
range of production limited by seasonal availability of water
As can be seen from this list, some key constraints cannot be removed by technology and will continue
to influence the efficiency of local production. The size of the land available for agriculture cannot be
increased, nor can the distance from the major markets in the industrialized countries be reduced. Other
conditions, such as increasing costs and scarcity of labor, are the result of Mauritius's impressive economic
development and improvements in the overall standard of living. Similarly, some environmental conditions,
such as tropical cyclones and the fragility of the unique genetic resource base due to insularity, cannot be
changed. Finally, while Mauritius can continue to develop and become even more productive, it will remain a
small country with a small economy and small internal market. Those constraints that cannot be changed will
condition the feasible choices and options for removing the other constraints.
However, there is much that new technology can do to remove several of these constraints. For
example, technology can help to reduce the need for labor, as well as providing high-quality genetic material
for crops, livestock, and fisheries. Through research, the quality of produce can be improved and production
made more reliable; its seasonality can be modified. Research can also produce drought-tolerant crop
varieties as well as systems of irrigation and water management that make more efficient use of this scarce
resource.
Biotechnology applications would be useful in some of these research and development options. The
strategy established a priority for the use of biotechnology in agriculture and the environment. Four priority
national themes were identified where the application of biotechnology would make a more effective
contribution to overcoming the constraints facing agriculture in Mauritius and to safeguarding the natural
environment. National Priorities for Biotechnology
The four priority applications of biotechnology (outlined below) are aimed at two major objectives. One is
to continue diversification of crop and livestock production with an emphasis on higher-value products with
greater quality and uniformity. The other is to support the sugar industry by creating more value-added
products from sugarcane and reducing its environmental costs.
The four priority themes are
•
•
•
•
to increase the availability of disease-free planting material of highvalue export crops
to improve quality in livestock and aquaculture as well as control of diseases
to increase production of value added products from sugarcane biomass and minimize the
environmental impact of the sugar industry
to continue production of improved sugarcane varieties with desirable qualities (e.g., disease
resistance, and higher fiber content)
These four priority themes also involve the participation of different sets of actors and stakeholders. The
key to implementing biotechnology research in Mauritius is, therefore, to build flexibility into the organization
of the programs, and ensure that clients are involved from the outset.
A flexible strategy needs policy guidance and support to keep it oriented around national priorities and
to avoid the potential of duplication and of initiatives that do not make full use of existing resources. Mauritius
is relatively better off than many other small countries in that it has a core of highly trained biological
scientists in its agricultural research institutions and the university. Nevertheless, it is a small group that
could easily be dispersed or overextended - hence the need to share scientific staff and resources within the
various institutions contributing to the four priority biotechnology programs. This policy and organization
mechanism should be flexible and should act in an advisory capacity. A strategy for the establishment of four
biotechnology consortia to address the four priority topics is outlined in figure 2. A schematic illustration and
terms of reference for the National Agricultural Biotechnology Committee (NABAC) is presented in figure 3.
Biotechnology research on the four priority themes would be organized into four consortia under FARC /
NABAC. Each consortium would be composed of various institutional actors within the agricultural and
natural resource sector, and each would be led by the institution most concerned and best equipped to
undertake biotechnology research for that particular theme. Several other points emerged:
•
•
•
•
Each consortium will have its own operating strategy, enabling it to function as a joint venture
among institutions to develop a new product for a new market.
That "product and market" is the application of biotechnology to agriculture and natural resources.
Each consortium will develop business plans (according to the procedures outlined here) that
include budgets, time frames, and indicators of progress on a quarterly basis.
Consortia will employ strategies that link together existing resources as well as identifying any
requirements for new resources (local and external).
Four Biotechnology Consortia on Priority Themes
Consortia to prepare plans that identify the following:
Targets
Technologies
Product
Markets
Delivery
Systems
Theme 1. Availability of Elite, Disease-Free Planting Material
Institutions: Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC)
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources, (MAFNR)
Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI)
University
The private sector
Theme 2. Livestock / Aquaculture lmprovement
Institutions:
MAFNR
The private sector
University
Theme 3. Sugarcane By-product Utilization and Environmental Quality
Institutions:
University
MSIRI
Sugar Industry
MAFNR
Ministry of Environment
Theme 4. Sugarcane Improvement
Institutions:
MSIRI
University
Sugar industry
MAFNR
FARC
Figure 2. National consortia for the use of biotechnology in agriculture and the environment
Elite Planting Material
The biotechnology consortium to increase the availability of disease-free planting material of high-value
crops is led by FARC and includes private-sector companies and associations of flower and horticultural
export producers. Many of the biotechnologies required are commercially available elsewhere and the
expected returns to the horticultural industry would justify the investment. The transfer of biotechnology also
has implications for regulatory and intellectual property issues and involves information access and
technology assessment. The participation of MSIRI and the ministry is to ensure that these policy issues are
addressed and to obtain their support with technical assessments and information access.
Livestock and Aquaculture
The consortium on livestock and aquaculture improvement is led by the Ministry of Agriculture, which is
responsible for most of the livestock improvement programs. Privatesector involvement in biotechnology
applications to deer farming and shrimp and shellfish aquaculture will support the national program, as
conducted at the Albion Fisheries Research Centre. The University of Mauritius biological research programs
will assist with scientific expertise and basic laboratory facilities.
Organization
Minister of Agriculture
Food and Agriculture
Research Council
National Agricultural Biotechnology
Advisory Committee (NABAC)
Proposed Terms of Reference for NABAC:
Establish (under the Food and Agriculture Research Council) a National Agricultural Biotechnology
Committee, to advise the Minister for Agriculture and relevant government authorities on the following:
a.
b.
opportunities and availability of potentially useful new technologies
policy and institutional issues that will affect their successful and timely use, e.g.,
•
•
•
•
c.
d.
e.
information access
technology assessments
regulatory requirements
intellectual property management
human resource requirements
financial resource requirements/investment opportunities
provide policy and technical advice to the National Biotechnology Consortia
Figure 3. Biotechnology organizational and policy issues in Mauritius
Sugarcane Biomass
The third consortium (on sugarcane by-product utilization and environmental quality) will apply
biotechnology research to derive more uses from the by-products of the sugar industry to produce energy
and develop new products. Another important goal is to reduce the deleterious environmental impact of the
sugar industry. The School of Engineering of the University of Mauritius has the expertise, experience, and
infrastructure to lead the work on this. MSIRI and the sugar industry will be important contributors. The
Ministries of Agriculture and the Environment are involved to provide guidance and support in the policy
area, particularly as this program is aimed at improving environmental quality without sacrificing the
profitability of the sugar industry.
Sugarcane Production
The fourth consortium (on sugarcane improvement) is led by MSIRI, which has produced a steady
stream of improved sugarcane varieties over the last 30 years. Modern biotechnology is the next logical step
in the crop improvement research programs of MSIRI. The sugar industry is expected to benefit from and
support this next phase of research and development to ensure that the industry remains competitive. The
university has expertise in its School of Agriculture and in the Biology Department that can also be applied to
the problems.
Conclusion
The biotechnology strategy proposed for Mauritius is flexible. It cuts across institutions to bring scarce
resources to bear on those priority problems where biotechnology can have the greatest impact. It brings
together scientists, biotechnology users, industry, and government to focus their efforts on the sustained
productivity of Mauritian agriculture and the environment. For a small country like Mauritius, such a strategy
makes the most efficient use of the resources available for research.
References
Antoine, R. 1992. The Food and Agricultural Research Council: Its Role in the Promotion of Agricultural
Research in Mauritius (Annex 3). Mauritius: Henry & Co. Ltd.
Eyzaguirre, P.B. 1992. Managing the Scale and Scope of Agricultural Research Systems in Small Countries:
An Overview. The Hague: ISNAR.
Manrakhan, J. 1992 The National Agricultural Research System of Mauritius. Small-Country Study Paper.
The Hague: ISNAR. (draft)
Manrakhan, J. 1990. The Challenge of Biotechnology. Réduit: Editions de L'Océan Indien-University of
Mauritius.
Persley, G.J. 1990. Beyond Mendel's Garden: Biotechnology in the Service of World Agriculture. Wallingford,
UK: CAB International.
Persley, G.J. 1992. Agriculture Biotechnology: Opportunities for International Development. Wallingford, UK:
CAB International.
I SNAR
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1992
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