Island Food Revolution - Reflections from the UN Resident Coordinator

Living and working in Mauritius has led me to appreciate many things about the island. I have enjoyed discovering the close linkages between tourism and food culture.  In this beautiful country there is a mix of cultures with roots from Africa, China, India, and Europe; applied to cuisine, this fusion is simply extraordinary.

As the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator and as a human being, I have seen first-hand the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. I have been involved in many discussions with the UN family, the national counterparts and other partners on how best to promote green recovery. The tourism sector has been particularly affected in many ways, including challenges in global supply chain, especially food supply. Like many small islands, Mauritius depends a lot on food imports so obstacles to the movement of goods during the crisis heavily affected the economy.

At the global level, in September 2021 the UN organized the worldwide Food Systems Summit to discuss such issues and many more. It is in this context that the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Mauritian Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security facilitated the National Food Systems Dialogue.

During a national dialogue session a participant, Ms. Emmanuelle Coquet, shared her opinion that the COVID-19 crisis could be an eye opener and a trigger for the island’s food revolution! Having supplied the hotels with imported products for over 25 years, Ms. Emmanuelle has seen the quality and variety of available produce from around the world, as well as the demand for such produce from hotel chefs. The question she pondered is, “Can this product not grow in Mauritius?” For most products the answer is yes, we can! So why import and why not produce quality products locally? This question triggered a lot of debate, and the idea of the Island Food Revolution (IFR) was born.

"Your weapons are your menus", Ms. Emmanuelle Coquet told the chefs.

In simple terms this is a call to source the best of Mauritian produce and to assist local producers to achieve the standards expected by fine hotels and other consumers. From food production to food processing, products once imported can now be produced in Mauritius.

Championing local production can only be beneficial for our economy.  The needs of the industry will be supported by encouraging producers to move away from the low value chain vegetables and to produce more refined and high value products. Important benefits include moving towards eliminating the carbon footprint; contributing to the improvement of the lives of Mauritian farmers and their families; and encouraging the younger generation to see the importance in farming. Knowing where and who the vegetables and products comes from gives the chef a story to tell.

At a recent IFR food tasting event on the beach in the south of the island, different ways of preparing lamb were demonstrated by chefs. The lamb was provided by a breeder from a small village in the west of the island. The famer received praise from the chef on the quality of his lamb. What if the farmer could be trained to cut the meat and sell it at higher value like the pieces we import from abroad? This simple exercise encouraged the farmer and illustrates how the food revolution is achievable in collaboration with the government and other partners. This is a clear demonstration that COVID-19 has pushed people to think outside the box. Revolutionizing food production on the island is a prerequisite for sustainable, equitable and resilient food systems for generations to come.

Written by former UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius & Seychelles - Ms. Christine N. Umutoni