What Is the Future of Agriculture in Small Island Developing States? The Case of Mauritius
Brizmohun, Roshini ; Hillbom, Ellen LU
; Mahadea-Nemdharry, Rajeshreebhye
and Wahab, Ibrahim
(2025)
In Agriculture
15(24).
p.1-22
- Abstract
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face ongoing challenges in balancing agricultural sustainability with economic growth due to limited land resources, rapid urbanisation, climate change, and reliance on food imports. This study explores the evolution of land use and the future of agriculture in Mauritius from 2002 to 2022, using satellite imagery, policy reviews, and stakeholder interviews. Findings show a 9% decrease in agricultural and non-agricultural vegetation cover, alongside a doubling of built-up areas from 10% to 20%, indicating continued land conversion pressures. The analysis highlights major barriers to agricultural sustainability, including declining food self-sufficiency, an ageing farming population, and slow movements... (More)
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face ongoing challenges in balancing agricultural sustainability with economic growth due to limited land resources, rapid urbanisation, climate change, and reliance on food imports. This study explores the evolution of land use and the future of agriculture in Mauritius from 2002 to 2022, using satellite imagery, policy reviews, and stakeholder interviews. Findings show a 9% decrease in agricultural and non-agricultural vegetation cover, alongside a doubling of built-up areas from 10% to 20%, indicating continued land conversion pressures. The analysis highlights major barriers to agricultural sustainability, including declining food self-sufficiency, an ageing farming population, and slow movements towards sustainable practices caused by low profitability and weak institutional support. Diverging priorities among government agencies, sugar companies, smallholder farmers, and NGOs further hinder coordinated policy efforts. To address these challenges, the study identifies strategies for aligning economic and environmental goals through integrated land-use planning, boosting productivity, and providing targeted support for sustainable ecological farming systems. Policy recommendations include protecting agricultural land, encouraging agroecological practices, alleviating labour shortages, and promoting multi-stakeholder engagement within policy development. Overall, this research enhances understanding of land-use dynamics and agricultural resilience in SIDS, offering practical insights for policymakers and practitioners working towards sustainable food systems amid spatial and climatic constraints. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/8a153183-6c45-4ab0-bb62-88c1a924b212
- author
- Brizmohun, Roshini
; Hillbom, Ellen
LU
; Mahadea-Nemdharry, Rajeshreebhye
and Wahab, Ibrahim
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-12-17
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Small Island Developing States, Mauritius, agricultural land, sustainable agriculture
- in
- Agriculture
- volume
- 15
- issue
- 24
- pages
- 22 pages
- publisher
- MDPI AG
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105025962342
- ISSN
- 2077-0472
- DOI
- 10.3390/agriculture15242611
- project
- Sustainable development in Small Island Developing States
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8a153183-6c45-4ab0-bb62-88c1a924b212
- date added to LUP
- 2026-01-12 13:26:31
- date last changed
- 2026-01-13 09:11:48
@article{8a153183-6c45-4ab0-bb62-88c1a924b212,
abstract = {{Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face ongoing challenges in balancing agricultural sustainability with economic growth due to limited land resources, rapid urbanisation, climate change, and reliance on food imports. This study explores the evolution of land use and the future of agriculture in Mauritius from 2002 to 2022, using satellite imagery, policy reviews, and stakeholder interviews. Findings show a 9% decrease in agricultural and non-agricultural vegetation cover, alongside a doubling of built-up areas from 10% to 20%, indicating continued land conversion pressures. The analysis highlights major barriers to agricultural sustainability, including declining food self-sufficiency, an ageing farming population, and slow movements towards sustainable practices caused by low profitability and weak institutional support. Diverging priorities among government agencies, sugar companies, smallholder farmers, and NGOs further hinder coordinated policy efforts. To address these challenges, the study identifies strategies for aligning economic and environmental goals through integrated land-use planning, boosting productivity, and providing targeted support for sustainable ecological farming systems. Policy recommendations include protecting agricultural land, encouraging agroecological practices, alleviating labour shortages, and promoting multi-stakeholder engagement within policy development. Overall, this research enhances understanding of land-use dynamics and agricultural resilience in SIDS, offering practical insights for policymakers and practitioners working towards sustainable food systems amid spatial and climatic constraints.}},
author = {{Brizmohun, Roshini and Hillbom, Ellen and Mahadea-Nemdharry, Rajeshreebhye and Wahab, Ibrahim}},
issn = {{2077-0472}},
keywords = {{Small Island Developing States; Mauritius; agricultural land; sustainable agriculture}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{12}},
number = {{24}},
pages = {{1--22}},
publisher = {{MDPI AG}},
series = {{Agriculture}},
title = {{What Is the Future of Agriculture in Small Island Developing States? The Case of Mauritius}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/239075576/agriculture-15-02611.pdf}},
doi = {{10.3390/agriculture15242611}},
volume = {{15}},
year = {{2025}},
}