[Project Update] Mauritius Oil Spill Accident: Community Support Project in Full Swing (Part 2)
In August 2020, a bulk vessel owned and operated by a Japanese company went aground off Mauritius, causing an environmental crisis to the coastal communities. Since the accident, Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) has been working with local NGOs in Mauritius to support their initiatives. The PBV is currently supporting the Environmental Protection and Conservation Organization (EPCO), a Mauritius-based NGO, for their efforts to support the people in coastal villages.
Before the pandemic and the oil-spill accident, the residents in the coastal communities relied on tourism and fishery for their livelihood. However, the prolonged travel restrictions due to the pandemic and temporary suspension of economic activities in the sea after the accident destabilized the local economy.
The situation did not allow them to start any new businesses for the foreseeable future. Thus, each session held by the EPCO team at the eight villages received positive response from the communities. While the project offered several livelihood options, most of the villagers opted for poultry raising and vertical farming.
With limited area available for farming, it was challenging for the villagers to start conventional agriculture in their land. The vertical agriculture and poultry farming can be installed in their yard or back of their compound, and most of the villagers opted for these two options over the other livelihood options showcased by the EPCO team. In addition to the space-saving feature, vertical agriculture and poultry farming were popular because they require lesser training and yield output relatively faster than the other options.
The project made great progress and completed supporting eight villages out of 17 by the beginning of November 2021. However, spread of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 has been reported in Mauritius, and the government announced another restriction on social gathering at village halls all over the country on November 12th. As the safety of the parties involved in the project comes first, the project has been suspended temporarily until the regulations are relaxed. EPCO plans to resume visits to the remaining villages once the restrictions are lifted.