(AGRI RESOURCES GROUP ) - Carried by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the agency for sustainable development TF261, with the support of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), the Groupement des Entreprises de Madagascar (GEM), the first Indian Ocean Private Sector Sustainable Development Conference (Assises du Développement Durable de l’Océan Indien) will be held in Antananarivo on November 4 & 5, 2022.

The program comes in response to the commitment made by the 8 islands (Madagascar, Mayotte, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion, Maldives and Zanzibar) to actively fight against global warming. The goal is to create a platform for regional sustainable development supporting concrete business projects, targeting, and being supported by the 8 islands and 3 partner countries which are Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and India.

 The first Assise will deliver a minimum of 30 projects selected for their:

• Capacity to address the urgent climate issues which directly affect the islands and the Indian Ocean.

• Strong propensity to create jobs and contribute to the socio-economic development of the islands.

• Ability to perform economically, while strengthening the skills and expertise of the 8 islands in key areas that are now shaping the global economic guidelines, namely the blue economy, the common strategy of carbon offsetting and the fight against global warming.

The companies carrying out the projects will benefit from the technical support of UNDP and TF 261. ADD-OI will also act as an investment platform for development programs, sustainable investors, DFIs and impact funds having a stake in the region.

The program aims to generate strong regional contributions to the UN’s SDGs by 2030 and will have a transformative capacity that is measured and monitored each year at local, national, or regional levels.

In the category “Fight against global warming”, during the conference, Agri Resources Mauritius (heading the vanilla and spices division of Agri Resources Group) will present its activities in the Indian Ocean, including a holistic business model aiming to contribute to the sustainable development of Vanilla the sector. 

Present on 3 islands, the core business of Agri Resources Mauritius and its subsidiaries, includes the cultivation, sourcing, processing, trading and commercialization of vanilla and spices.

The group has been developing in the Indian Ocean since 2015, and today manages 3 plantations (total of 145ha), two processing and export facilities, an Essential Oils distillery, and works with a network of over 1700 smallholder farmers.

“We are excited to participate in the ADD-OI program, as it gives us a chance to connect with institutional and private partners who share our interest in regional sustainable development. The projects we will present aim to contribute to the environmentally sustainable management of living natural resources and land use, as well as the socioeconomic advancement and empowerment of farmer communities on the islands.” Explained Deyana Mincheva (Communications Manager of Agri Resources Group).

Agri Resources Group’s project framework which was selected by ADD-OI covers sustainable agriculture, land restoration, agroforestry and preservation of biodiversity, as well as the creation of local employment and economic opportunities and training for the local communities.

These long-term projects have the ability to create direct profitability and benefit from the group’s experience in performing these activities. 

About Agri Resources Group

Agri Resources Group S.A. (“Agri Resources”) is an international business, headquartered in Luxembourg which focuses on the cultivation of essential products ranging from import-substitution crops to vanilla, spices and niche products.

Our mission is to bring consumers closer to producers, creating more value and opportunities for our local partners and securing better quality products, while minimising our footprint on the environment. Learn more  www.agri-resources.com

About ADDOI

Under the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Madagascar, HE Andry RAJOELINA, the patronage of Prime Minister Christian NTSAY, the leadership of GEM and the sustainable development executing agency TF 261, in technical and financial coordination with the UNDP, Madagascar hosts next November 4&5, the Indian Ocean Private Sector Sustainable Development Conference (ADDOI). This event is part of the presidency of the IOC by Madagascar and the need to set up a regional platform for structuring investments geared towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more  www.add-oi.com