As Mauritius seeks to strengthen its food security and reduce reliance on imports, innovation is playing an increasingly important role. One initiative reflecting this shift is being developed by Prodesign Ltd: a fully enclosed container farm built locally. By bringing together engineering expertise, precision farming techniques, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, this project demonstrates how controlled-environment agriculture can support more resilient, efficient, and sustainable food production.
Supported by the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC), the project demonstrates how technology-driven agriculture can help the country address challenges such as climate change, disrupted supply chains, and limited arable land. The container farm enables year-round production of fresh, pesticide-free crops in a climate-controlled environment, using up to 90% less water compared to traditional farming.
Agriculture is changing, and with it, the opportunities for the next generation. At the Economic Development Board (EDB) we want young Mauritians to see farming not only as tradition, but as innovation in action and Prodesign container farm is a concrete example of this transformation.
We caught up with Mr. Vikram Bhujun at Prodesign to understand what sparked this idea, how their partnership with MRIC brought it to life, and why controlled environment farming could inspire more youth to step into a future-proof sector.
What inspired the development of a fully enclosed container farm, and how does this align with Mauritius’s broader food security goals?
The idea was born during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, when empty supermarket shelves and disrupted supply chains made it clear how vulnerable Mauritius is to external shocks. As an engineer with decades of experience designing precision climate control systems, I saw an opportunity to apply that expertise to food production, creating a self-contained, fully controlled growing environment. This approach directly supports our national food security goals by enabling year-round, pesticide-free production of high-value crops, independent of weather, season, or external market fluctuations. It offers a scalable model that can reduce our reliance on imports, strengthen local supply chains, and enhance resilience against climate change.
This project was supported by the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council. How has that collaboration helped bring this concept to life?
The MRIC’s support has been pivotal not just financially, but also in validating the project’s research and innovation potential. Their funding allowed us to move from concept to a fully functional prototype, enabling investment in bespoke engineering solutions, from custom-designed grow lights to in-house automation systems. Beyond funding, the MRIC’s involvement has given the project credibility, opening doors for collaboration with other stakeholders and raising awareness about Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in Mauritius. This partnership has effectively accelerated our ability to deliver a tangible, working solution to one of the country’s most pressing challenges.
Advanced farming systems are often associated with higher production costs compared to traditional agriculture. In designing your system, have you taken this into consideration, and how do you think this might influence its adoption in the Mauritian market?
Yes, cost efficiency has been a key design driver. We engineered the system to be compact, energy-efficient, and optimised for high-value crops like baby leaves, microgreens, and herbs. These crops have strong market demand and premium pricing potential, which can offset production costs. Furthermore, by reducing post-harvest losses, minimising water use by up to 90%, and eliminating chemical pesticide costs, the system delivers operational savings over time. While initial capital costs are higher than those of traditional setups, the model’s productivity per square metre and consistent quality make it commercially viable. Adoption will likely start with niche markets, hospitality and health-conscious consumers, before scaling to broader segments as costs reduce with wider uptake.
How do you think this technology will influence the ways younger generations get involved with agriculture and how they value locally grown food?
Younger generations are drawn to technology, innovation, and sustainability and this project blends all three. By integrating automation, environmental control, and data-driven farming, we make agriculture more appealing to tech-savvy youth who may not be interested in traditional farming methods. Container farming offers an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to operate high-tech farms in urban or peri-urban settings, closer to consumers. It also reshapes perceptions of agriculture from labour-intensive fieldwork to a knowledge-based, climate-smart enterprise, enhancing the value placed on locally grown, pesticide-free food.
Fresh produce grown in controlled environments is usually sold at higher prices due to the nature of the production process. Do you think consumers in Mauritius are ready to accept this pricing difference?
It is true that CEA generally has higher production costs due to the technology, precision control systems, and infrastructure involved. However, there can be no “low” or “high” price when it comes to clean, non-toxic foods, especially in a world where consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the link between diet, health, and environmental impact. There is a new and growing demand for pesticide-free, nutrient-rich produce in Mauritius, and we believe this demand will continue to grow, making this type of agriculture not only viable but essential.
Furthermore, the operational costs of such systems can be significantly reduced by integrating renewable energy sources. Our next development phase will explore powering the container farm with photovoltaic (PV) systems, which will cut electricity expenses and enhance sustainability. While a detailed ROI analysis on PV integration has not yet been completed, it is a priority for the upcoming 40-foot model, as it will make the system even more commercially attractive without compromising quality.
