Abstract on Pig Farming

The pig industry in Mauritius has evolved from a sluggish traditional mode of farming in the early 70's to a semi-industrial base through the emergence of Cooperative Societies. This evolution has been realized through massive injection of Government funds by means of infrastructural facilities as regards production and marketing of the product and the establishment of various incentives to the farming community. The focus had always been on increased production, without taking into consideration the adverse impacts that the industry was having on the environment and the quality of life.

The main problems associated with the pig farming activities have been: odour, inadequate waste disposal systems and water pollution. Some isolated attempts had been made to address some of the environmental issues. However, as from 2001, Government decided that clear policies should be devised to set the pig industry on a sustainable path. As such, Government commissioned various studies, which have made recommendations pertaining to:

To date, wastewater treatment plants have been set up at two major pig farms and Government has decided to displace pig farming activity from a residential area to another location with all the necessary amenities to allow the new farm to operate in an environmentally and socially acceptable way. Moreover, a pilot project has been initiated to assess the merits of the Integrated Farming System and its applicability in the local context. However, financial issues remain a significant barrier to the implementation of the recommendations.