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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Farming, fishing get big boost |25 July 2013

Farming, fishing get big boost

Minister Sinon addressing the gathering at the launch of the Clissa project

“Together we can make this quantum leap for the benefit of farmers, fishermen and the Seychellois people. Let’s revive our agriculture and fishing industries,” Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon said when he launched the Competitive Local Innovations for Small-Scale Agriculture (Clissa) project earlier this week.

The Clissa project is being financed by an Ifad loan of US $3 million and an additional US $282,000 from the Seychelles government. It provides credit to the small farmers to help revive farming and fishing activities here. 

The credit will be managed by a financial institution to ensure that other components of the project like small civil works and infrastructure, technical assistance, capacity building and training are achieved with the aim of improving the current condition for small scale farmers, including home gardeners.

Also present at the ceremony held at the School of Education auditorium were Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Vincent Meriton, Minister for Education Macsuzy Mondon and Minister for Employment and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander. 

Caroline Bidault, the new country manager for the eastern and southern Africa, was also present to witness the official launch of the Clissa project, as well as local farmers and fishermen and representatives of non-governmental bodies.

The project, Minister Sinon said, consists of improving agricultural policies and strategies to surmount current and emerging challenges. It will address availability of inputs, introduce appropriate technologies and provide agricultural infrastructure like roads to farm-gates, irrigation programmes among others.

Minister Sinon added that the “new funds injected in this sector shall ensure that together we can significantly improve the status of nutritious, safe and home-grown food security and sufficiency for Seychelles”. 

Ms Bidault pointed out that “Clissa seeks to contribute to the revival of the agricultural sector; strengthening small scale artisanal fisheries and the promotion of prolong micro-organised development”.

Minister Sinon, natural resources principal secretary Michael Nalletamby, special adviser Antoine-Marie Moustache and Ms Bidault answered questions raised by the members present in order to shed light on Clissa’s role and how they (famers and fishermen) will benefit from it.

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