Babita Thanoo: 'Agroecology Will Save Lives and Protect Our Children'

Babita Thanoo, a Mauritian advocate for sustainable agriculture, has called on Mauritius to urgently embrace agroecology, arguing that the shift away from chemical-intensive farming is not just an environmental choice but a matter of survival for families across the island.

In an interview with Le Defi Media, Thanoo spoke with conviction about the dangers of current agricultural practices and the promise of agroecology as an alternative. Her message was direct: the way food is grown today is harming people, and children are bearing the greatest cost.

Agroecology is an approach to farming that works with natural ecosystems rather than against them. It reduces or eliminates the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, promotes biodiversity, and focuses on building healthy soil. Globally, it is gaining ground as both a food security strategy and a response to climate change.

In Mauritius, the conversation around agroecology has been growing steadily, driven in part by concerns over pesticide residues in locally grown produce, rising rates of non-communicable diseases, and the vulnerability of the island's soil and water systems to chemical runoff. The island imports a significant share of its food, but local agriculture, particularly the cultivation of vegetables, fruits and herbs, remains important to many households.

Thanoo's intervention touches on a tension that is well known to Mauritian farmers and consumers alike. Conventional farming methods can produce higher short-term yields and lower immediate costs, but campaigners argue that the hidden costs, in health outcomes, soil degradation and water contamination, are being passed on to the public.

She stressed that children are particularly vulnerable because they are exposed to pesticide residues through food at critical stages of development. Advocates like Thanoo point to studies linking early pesticide exposure to developmental, hormonal and neurological issues, and argue that a precautionary approach is overdue.

Agroecology also carries economic promise for small farmers. By reducing dependence on imported chemical inputs, growers can lower their costs over time and build more resilient production systems that are less exposed to supply chain disruptions or price shocks.

What this means: For Mauritius, a shift toward agroecology would require policy support, training for farmers, consumer education and possibly changes to how agricultural subsidies are structured. It would affect smallholders, supermarkets, schools sourcing canteen food and any household that buys locally grown produce. Thanoo's call is part of a broader civil society push for the government and the Ministry of Agro-Industry to put sustainable farming at the centre of national food policy, rather than treating it as a niche concern.

Source: Le Defi Media