Brief History 

AREU arose out of DARE (Directorate of Agricultural Research and Extension) which was established in 1994 within the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate Government's goals of improving the productivity of the farming community and diversifying the production base. It was given responsibility to conduct research in non-sugar crops and livestock, and to provide extension services to all farmers in Mauritius including its outer islands. Since July 1995 the AREU has functioned within the Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC), a parastatal organisation operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This position has been consolidated by the enactment of the Food and Agricultural Research Council Act, 1997 which set up AREU as a unit of FARC. The AREU’s management team comprises the Director (who is also the Accounting Officer) supported presently by three Assistant Directors in the departments of Crop Research, Livestock Research, Extension and Training. 

Personnel

AREU has a total of 475 staff positions with 4 at Directorate level, 189 at technical/scientific level, 60 in administration and 222 in minor grades. There are currently 129 vacancies in miscellaneous grades.

Physical Assets

For the conduct of its activities, the AREU maintains and develops research and extension facilities at locations relevant to its major client groups.

Research :

Entomology Laboratory at Reduit
Plant Pathology Laboratory at Reduit
Food Processing laboratory at Wooton
Post Harvest laboratory at Wooton
Crop research stations at Reduit; Wooton
Richelieu Livestock research station at Curepipe
Ruminant research laboratory at Richelieu

Extension :

Demonstration Centres at Mapou, Flacq, Riv. des Anguilles and Plaisance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance

AREU receives its funding from Government mainly to meet its recurrent costs and capital items. Figures for financial year 2000/2001 are Rs 70 m for the recurrent budget and Rs 3.7 m for capital. Funds are also sollicited and received from donor agencies for specific research projects. These may be local institutions like the MRC and FARC or international agencies like IAEA and FAO. Most of AREU's services are free to clients and AREU does not engage in commercial production. Revenue is limited to sale of produce arising as a by-product of research activities undertaken on its research and demonstration centres viz. sale of vegetables and ornamentals, mushroom growing bags, surplus animals and milk, and selected advisory publications. Around Rs 2 millions is expected by way of Revenue for financial year 2000-2001.

AREU's vision 

"To be a recognised and respected leader within the region and beyond in research and development for non-sugar agriculture"

 

 

 

 

 

AREU's mission 

"To serve the non-sugar agricultural sector (crop and livestock) through excellence in cost-effective high-quality research and extension for better agricultural production, and to meet the policy requirements of the government in terms of agricultural diversification and food production generally"