A Review of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Mauritius: Moving Towards a Landscape Approach

Abstract

Agriculture needs to be transformed into an effective instrument of climate change mitigation. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is a new concept that promotes best agricultural practices particularly integrated crop management, conservation agriculture, intercropping, efficient treatment and storage of manure, animal diversity, improved seeds, and fertilizer management practices among others. This chapter aims at reviewing climate-smart agriculture studies carried out in Mauritius and examines why a landscape approach is followed when moving towards CSA. The research methodology for this study includes a review of literature from Web-based publications, projects, and papers at regional and national levels. Locally available documents on climate change adaptation and mitigation and current practices in climate-smart agriculture in Mauritius have also been considered. It is found that CSA does not appear in the agriculture-related strategy and action plans of Mauritius. Only few development plans contain elements of CSA. Moreover, very few efforts exist to elucidate the implementation of climate-smart landscapes in Mauritius. Farmers need to be encouraged to adopt climate-smart practices and policy makers should encourage an integrated approach of the climate-smart activities. To achieve a landscape approach, initiatives will require an integrated approach to land management which ensures sustainable policies that can help local farmers cope with the looming effects of climate change. This chapter concludes with recommendations to support the development and implementation of a landscape approach for CSA.