Reducing food to its physiological or medical function would be almost criminal, given the profoundly cultural, social, and economic role it plays in every society. Mauritius is obviously no exception to this rule; in fact, the history of its cuisine is just as complex as its sociology… The book Who’s going to come? attempts to write his first story. Dominique Bellier
As the issue of food sovereignty has once again become a concern during the COVID-19 crisis and in the wake of the prolonged lockdown, many young entrepreneurs have embarked—with varying degrees of success—on initiatives to promote local food production, short supply chains, and the circular economy. For its part, Panagora’s Sustainable Development team chose to take a step back and reflect, conducting a historical review of the Mauritian food system.
The food distributor first commissioned a study from Maya de Salle, an anthropologist specializing in Mauritius, which resulted in the 2023 “Manze Lontan” report. One thing led to another, and the head of sustainable development, Yovan Jankee, proposed a book project that takes things a step further by exploring the challenges of food today and tomorrow… The result is an “in-house” book, produced entirely in Mauritius and co-authored by three people, including artist Aliya Chojoo…
Is food self-sufficiency just a pipe dream in a country like ours? We can work toward it by promoting sustainable food production rather than speculative monoculture, but it also represents an ideal that is difficult to achieve, given our eating habits and their origins… These concepts are among the many issues this book seeks to clarify. It could have benefited from more rigorous editorial work and a more appealing visual presentation, but it is a fascinating treasure trove of information.
