The Fund

The Small Farmers Welfare Fund is a parastatal body established under the Act No 12 of 2002 and working under the aegis of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security to promote the economic and social welfare of small farmers and their families in Mauritius and Rodrigues.

Mission

To promote the economic and social welfare of small farmers and their families

Vision

To be an efficient service provider for the farming community and work to enhance the Quality of Life of farmers and their families

The Small Farmers Welfare Fund Act

Small farmers as defined by the Act of the SFWF are farmers registered with the Fund and include small planters, small breeders and small agro-processing enterprises.

“Small Farmer” – 

  1. means a small planter or a small breeder; and
  2. unless the context otherwise requires, includes an agro-processing enterprise;

“Small Planter” – means a planter who is registered with the Fund as a planter

  1. growing sugar cane, tea, tobacco or food crops, fruit and ornamental plants, or conducting sheltered farming, on his land or on leased land, on an extent of not less than 10 perches but not more than 10 hectares; or
  2. growing a single crop on his land or on leased land, on an extent of less than 10 perches, provided that the land is under intensive cultivation.
    [S. 2 amended by s. 27 (c) of Act 38 of 2011 w.e.f. 15 December 2011.]

“Small Breeder” – means a breeder who is registered with the Fund as a breeder raising such number of animals as may be specified in the Schedules

Types of Breeding

No. of heads

Cattles

1 – 40

Fattening Pig

1 – 100

Sows

1 – 20

Goat / Sheep

1 – 100

Rabbit

1 – 300

Poultry

25 – 5000

Honey Bees

Max 50 beehives

“Cooperative association,society or company”means an organization  that is formed by a group of people whose primary objective  is promotion of the economic interests of its members.

“Agro-processing Enterprise” means an enterprise owned by a small farmer or a group of small farmers, which is registered with the Fund as an enterprise conducting agro-processing activities, employing less than 10 persons and having an annual turnover not exceeding 10 million rupees.

Corporate Strategy

The Fund adopted a three prong strategy for the delivery of its services to the farming community namely:

 

(i) STRATEGY I

Establishment of a Risk Management Framework to provide risk management tools to farmers to assist them in mitigating the effects of the various risks, such as natural calamities, agro-business, affecting the agricultural sector so as to render it profitable, sustainable and safe business.

 

(ii) STRATEGY II

To increase the capacity of the farming community through learning and training program to small farmers and their families

 

(iii) STRATEGY III

To enhance the Quantity of Life of the farming community through the provision of Welfare schemes in terms of health, environmental and leisure facilities, etc.

Functions of the Fund

  • Manage and optimise its financial and other resources to further the social and economic welfare of small farmers and their families

  • Set up and develop schemes and projects, including schemes for agro processing enterprises and schemes in respect of loans or other financial assistance, for the welfare of small farmers and their families

  • Create special funds to operate any scheme set up by the Board and to receive contributions or other monies from small farmers or other sources

  • Perform such other activity as appears to be necessary for, and conducive to the promotion of, the welfare of small farmers in general
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