Five years after the MV Wakashio oil spill devastated Mauritius's south-eastern coast, a group of women have transformed their fortunes through farming. Sandy Monrose, from the fishing village of Cité la Chaux, never imagined herself as a farmer, but after the disaster destroyed local livelihoods, she and other women turned to the land.
The Japanese-owned vessel ran aground on 25 July 2020, spilling 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil into pristine waters. The spill killed marine life and threatened the livelihoods of fishers, boat builders and tourism workers. Monrose helped organise volunteers to make net booms to contain the oil, drawing on childhood memories of sewing fishing nets.
Monrose later approached Ferney Ltd, part of the Ciel Group, which runs an agri-hub for farming entrepreneurs. She secured land in the La Vallée de Ferney nature reserve, and by 2021, the South-East Ladies Agro collective was farming. The group now grows a tonne of organic fruit and vegetables annually, feeding their families and selling surplus.
Ferney Ltd provided training in agroecology, permaculture and beekeeping. Florisse Latouche, a member from Bambous Virieux, says farming gave her autonomy after a lifetime cutting sugar cane for low wages. The extra income has been vital after her husband lost his job.
Monrose's farm is now a thriving patchwork of papaya and banana trees, onions, potatoes, bok choi and winged beans. She says: 'I never thought it would get this big.' The project has brought self-sufficiency and empowerment to the women, turning disaster into opportunity.
