The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Representative to Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles, Dr Patrice Talla Takoukam, paid a farewell call on President Danny Faure at State House this morning following a six-year tenure in this post. Dr Takoukam was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Antoine-Marie Moustache.

President Faure thanked Dr Takoukam for the outstanding support he extended during his mandate, particularly in realising the various projects that Seychelles requested.

During the meeting, they reviewed the technical assistance that Seychelles has benefitted from FAO in different sub-sectors of agriculture and raw development. Furthermore, the President and Mr Takoukam spoke about the challenges that Seychelles faces as a Small Island Developing State, such as constrained agricultural land, market access for local farmers, importation dependency, as well as the need to encourage the young farmers to join the sector.

President Faure and Dr Takoukam also discussed how FAO can continue to help Seychelles' government improve its agricultural sector and to involve the private sector in this endeavour.

Speaking to the local media after the meeting, Mr Talla said that FAO as a technical assistance organisation will continue to support Seychelles according to the priorities presented by the government of Seychelles. He further explained that FAO and Seychelles are currently working based on the new Country Preliminary Framework (CPF) for 2018 – 2021. Various programme have been implemented in 2019 and new projects are set to be effected in 2020 – 2021.

Also present at the meeting this morning was the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr Marina Confait and other officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs.