Redesigning the extension services in Mauritius to meet the needs of the small sugarcane planters
| MSI99P0015 | |
| Payandi Pillay, K | |
| University of Reading, Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Department, Reading, GB | |
| Redesigning the extension services in Mauritius to meet the needs of the small sugarcane planters | |
| Dissertation, MSc Agricultural Extension | |
| Thesis | |
| 1989 | |
| 102 p.: 4 figs. | |
| En | |
| En | |
| Mauritius is an agricultural country and out of the 3 producer-groups involved in sugarcane production, the small planter sector presents a very particular case. The small sugarcane planters are nearly 33,000 out of a population of just over one million. They have many inherent characteristics and sugarcane production may be one of their many other occupations, but still remains their major source of income. The small planter sector has been over the past fifteen years the focus of increasing attention due to the various ups and downs of an economy dominated by sugarcane, and also the need to diversify the agriculture and to reduce food import bills. For these to be possible, sugar production levels have to be maintained and agricultural land is to be made available for foodcrops production. Land is the most limiting factor and the only way is to release sugarcane lands and to intensify sugarcane intercropping. The small planter sector has been identified as an area for improved productivity (recent surveys have indicated that the small planters are achieving only 75 per cent of their optimum production). It is generally accepted that the agricultural extension organisation, as presently structured, have not had much impact in the small planter sector, hence the need for this service to be restructured and re-organised. The creation of the Farmers Service Centres, has come just in time, but still, it is seen that too much load is being put on modernising the small planter sector and persuading the small planter to adopt cultural practices, often beyond his reach. The small planters have many problems, most of which, are not going to be solved through technical intervention. They need another kind of extension, one that is prepared to work with them and to assist them to create multipurpose organisation and to be in a better position to make request and to pull down services. A different role for extension is, therefore, proposed and this is based on examples from other developing countries. The need to organise specific extension activities for women is also mentioned. | |
| EXTENSION SUGARCANE SUGAR PRODUCTION FARMING SYSTEMS Agricultural extension | |
| MAURITIUS | |
| Farming systems research | |
| Extension | |
| 1991-10-07 | |
| En | |
| Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute | |
| LIB | |
| CAT | |
| 1 | |
| EXTN |