The Cherifien Office of Phosphates (OCP), a major actor in the agricultural industry and a steadfast supporter of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Morocco (SIAM), has made a public announcement about its dedication to advancing sustainable agriculture in Africa and around the world.

OCP stated in a press release: “As part of our steadfast commitment to Africa, we have earmarked four million tonnes of fertilizer to the continent in 2023, which is more than a quarter of our anticipated global production. This will help to fill up to 80% of Africa’s fertilizer gap.

OCP has always placed a high priority on tailoring its offerings to support regional economies and agriculture. The company has positioned farmers at the center of its strategy, providing products and services that are increasingly personalized to their requirements and adjusted to changes in territories and markets in response to the concerns of food security and climate change.

Scientific research and innovation are crucial components of OCP’s vision, particularly in meeting the challenges and needs of Africa. The company is developing technological, financial, social, sustainable, and customized solutions, combined with local action, to make a real impact on the agricultural ecosystem.

OCP has a long-standing partnership with the agricultural industry, especially with SIAM, which enables the firm to play a key role in promoting agriculture as a force for growth in Morocco and Africa as a whole. Growth, employment, and geographic areas are all affected long-term by this.

OCP launched a subsidiary, OCP Africa, in February 2016, placing Africa at the center of its strategy. In order to address the issue of organized, effective, and sustainable agriculture, OCP Africa is committed to the growth of the company’s operations on the continent.

OCP Africa is focusing on every aspect of the agricultural value chain in order to achieve this, including securing the production of competitive fertilizers close to important agricultural basins, enhancing its logistical capabilities, and helping to create new local distribution networks to serve the entire agricultural sector. OCP Africa provides farmers with comprehensive solutions, including funding and training, in addition to simply distributing fertilizers.

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Mohammed Sadiki, the Moroccan minister of agriculture, fisheries, rural development, and water and forests, and Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, the Emirati minister of economy, discussed ways to improve their countries’ bilateral agricultural investment cooperation on Thursday in Rabat.

After the meeting, Sadiki gave a press conference in which he praised the close ties of brotherhood between Morocco and the United Arab Emirates and emphasized the significance of expanding agricultural investment and technology transfer between the two nations, particularly to boost agricultural production.

The Minister also emphasized the necessity for both countries’ business sectors to work together more effectively in order to achieve a level of distinctive bilateral cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Morocco.

Al Marri emphasized that this gathering offers a chance to promote investment, investigate paths, and identify potential future investment opportunities in agriculture, agricultural technologies, and food sovereignty.

The Emirati official praised the solid and growing ties between the two nations and recalled the day’s earlier holding of the first ministerial meeting of the Moroccan-Emirati joint economic commission, which had as its main goals the expansion of the two nations’ trade and economic ties as well as the creation of mechanisms for cooperation.

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, and Al Marri had a bilateral meeting prior to the first ministerial session of the Moroccan-Emirati joint economic commission, which was attended by senior officials from both ministries as well as some public institutions and private sector actors of both countries. The meeting culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding on economic and technical cooperation between the two parties.

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Morocco brought in 2,000 cattle from Brazil in March, and Mohamed Sadiki, minister of agriculture, announced today that 3,000 more livestock will be sent in shortly.

Appearing as a guest at a symposium organized by the MAP agency, the minister claimed that Morocco has so far imported roughly 20,000 cattle in an effort to lower meat prices, which have seen an unheard-of increase over the past few weeks.

He claimed that due to widespread public anxiety over Brazilian beef following a recent mad cow disease scare that Brazil reported to the World Health Organization, it sells for 65–67 dh in marketplaces.

Just a month ago, a case of the illness, known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, was discovered on a tiny farm in the Amazonian state of Pará, prompting an embargo from many nations, including Brazil’s largest customer, China.

The largest beef producer in the world, Brazil, confirmed the case was found at a farm with 160 cattle, claiming the signs were those of an unusual incidence of the illness, which arises spontaneously in older cows and is less harmful and contagious.
Since then, China has restarted imports of Brazilian beef, although it has stated that it will quarantine and analyze the meat before allowing it to be sold in stores.

Before meat is delivered to markets, livestock will also undergo safety and quality inspections, according to Sadiki.

Claims that imported cows were infected with mad cow disease, he claimed, are “not true.”

The majority of Morocco’s imports have come from France and Spain, but because to the “exorbitant price of the herd in Europe,” he claimed, the government has turned to Brazil for imports because of the “cheap price.”

To boost the supply of cattle intended for slaughter from Europe and Latin America, Morocco eliminated customs duties and value-added tax.
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The Kingdom’s ambassador in Rome, Youssef Balla, called for a tripartite cooperation between Morocco, Africa and Europe for a sustainable agriculture, based on the latest digital technologies and a qualified workforce.

The objective of this partnership is to make sustainable agriculture an engine of economic development to ensure food security in Africa, the ambassador said at a meeting on “the evolution of Italian and European agribusiness between sustainability and welfare”, organized recently by the Italian Agency for Green Economy (GEA).

This cooperation could focus on two main areas, namely the promotion of new technologies and the professional training of a qualified workforce for the optimal use of these technologies, the diplomat noted, recommending the implementation of agro-ecological production techniques that effectively meet the needs of sustainable development in Africa.

According to Mr Balla, these production techniques will not only increase agricultural productivity, but also strengthen its resilience to the effects of climate change. They will thus contribute to reducing food and nutrition insecurity on the continent, he explained.

He said the food crisis, which is currently suffocating many populations and economies worldwide, is putting at risk the social fabric, supply chains, raw materials, food and the farmer himself. Sustainable agriculture in an innovative framework, based on research and creation, will help to meet these challenges, the diplomat stressed.

In this sense, he highlighted the new vision of the Kingdom in terms of agricultural development, embodied by the “Green Generation Strategy 2020-2030” which is a continuation of the “Green Morocco Plan”, implemented since 2008.

This roadmap is based on two pillars, namely strengthening the role of the human element through the emergence of a new generation of middle-class farmers and young entrepreneurs and developing a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector through the adoption of smart practices in the face of climate challenges, he said.

Based on the deep conviction of the imperative to strengthen the competitiveness of African agriculture in a world increasingly globalized and marked by multiple free trade agreements, Morocco is committed, as usual, to share all its experience and agricultural know-how with the countries of the continent, said the ambassador.

Morocco’s mandate within the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP), the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger in the world, was recently renewed for the third consecutive year as coordinator of the African Group. Unanimously endorsed by African countries, this re-election is a testimony to the trust placed in Morocco on the one hand, and to the Kingdom’s continued commitment to African causes on the other.

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The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, said on Monday that the Royal Speech, delivered to attendees at the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP26), highlights world leaders’ responsibilities to mankind.

This necessitates a strong political commitment, he added, noting that the Kingdom has already initiated a number of programs in the areas of energy, agriculture, and water. He emphasized that these projects, which benefit from HM King Mohammed VI’s High Solicitude, enable Morocco to be a pioneer in the battle against climate change.

In addition, he stated that the major goal of COP26 is to increase collective action in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet the +1.5°C target. In the same way, it intends to raise the finances needed to achieve the planet’s energy transition.

Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water Bodies and Forests, and Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, lead a Moroccan delegation led by the Head of Government.

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Israeli company Mehadrin announced its investment of more than 80 million dirhams ($ 8.9 million) in the agricultural production of avocado fruit in Morocco.

According to Globes, a partnership with a Moroccan leading farmer company, with over 455 hectares, with the Israeli-Moroccan alliance expected to produce 10.000 tons of avocado annually.

According to the Algemeiner, Mehadrin, Israel’s largest citrus producer and exporter, said that it will begin producing avocado in Morocco for the first time in response to rising demand for high-quality goods.

Mehadrin CEO Shaul Shelach told The Algemeneir, “Growing avocados in Morocco is part of a wider goal to be able to serve our European clients more readily than Israel, in terms of geography and more competitive pricing.”

“The land will shortly be obtained from the Moroccan government in order to begin work,” according to the report.

“and there are plans to begin farming in March 2022, so that the product will be accessible in two or three years, and a complete harvest may be expected in approximately five years.”

In collaboration with a Moroccan firm, Mehadrin hopes to expand production to African and Latin American countries, allowing it to grow fruit throughout the year at reduced rates.

According to media estimates, avocado production in Morocco has increased to 12000 tons per year in recent years.

Cooperation has been sought in a number of areas, notably agricultural and agricultural, since the restoration of ties between Morocco and Israel.

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The Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, said that by declaring May 10^th as the International Day of Argania, the United Nations has supported the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI regarding the preservation and appreciation of this national and global heritage.

In his speech at the high-level event organized by Morocco and the United Nations, Hilale said yesterday, Monday, that this UN declaration also constitutes recognition of HM the King’s leadership in everything related to the regional promotion of the Green Morocco Plan, developing agricultural production, combating poverty in rural areas, valuating agricultural wealth, and ensuring food security in the Kingdom.

The Moroccan diplomat added, “This day is an invitation to celebrate this legendary tree and make its cultivation a sustainable socio-economic lever.” We intend to make the [International Day] a catalyst for international cooperation in order to support the social and economic fabric of Argania (rural women entrepreneurs, cooperatives, civil society, scientists and local producers), in order to create and enhance the value chains of this tree.

He recalled that Morocco’s proposal to adopt this International Day, which was unanimously endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly on March 3^rd, 2021, constitutes an expression of the international community’s mobilization to preserve and develop this human heritage in order to enhance its social and economic impact and its environmental, humanitarian, cultural, nutritional and medical benefits.

In the same context, the ambassador highlighted the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests in this regard, and the exceptional mobilization of national actors, as well as the United Nations and its various agencies, so that this celebration is at the level of goals and aspirations to preserve and value the argan tree.

The opening ceremony of this high-level event, organized on the initiative of Morocco and the United Nations, was presided over by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Aziz Akhannouch.

The event was broadcasted live on the UN Web TV, as well as on YouTube and other social networks.

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A study conducted by the Ministry of the Interior revealed that “the number of people practicing illegal cultivation of cannabis is estimated at 400,000 people, while “about 60 thousand Moroccan families benefit from the illicit cultivation of cannabis.”

The study adds that “The annual agricultural incomes from the cultivation of cannabis have declined, from 500 million euros in 2000 to 325 million now.”

Moreover, “The traditional Moroccan farmer is exploited by smuggling networks, as he takes only 3 percent of the final turnover, compared to 12 percent that he makes in the legitimate market.”

The study added, “The areas planted with cannabis have decreased from about 130 thousand hectares at the beginning of the year 2000 to less than 50 thousand hectares in recent years”, explaining that it is expected that “the share of Moroccan exports of cannabis for legal use in the European market will be between 10 and 15 percent by 2028, representing annual agricultural revenues ranging between 420 million and 630 million dollars.”

The government referred a bill to parliament to legalize the use of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes in the country, and the Interior Committee began discussing it last week.

On March 11th, the government announced that it had “approved a bill to legalize the use and cultivation of cannabis for legitimate medical and industrial purposes.”

The ratification was postponed for two weeks due to controversy sparked by the bill in political and popular circles and on social media.

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Ben Guerir (Rehamna province)- the agricultural technology convoy “AgriTech” which aims at putting digital technology in the service of small farmers was launched on Thursday December 24th.

The convoy was launched by “AgriEdge”, the ecosystem business unit of Mohammed VI University of Technology, in partnership with Sutrig regional transport company. It will arrive first in Laayoune, Safi, El-Jadida, and Khouribga.

Abdelaziz Ait Mberic, the regional director of agriculture in Rehamna, told MAP about this initiative that helps introduce farmers to micro-farming. Stressing that this convoy is a part of the work of Mohammed VI University of Technology and its openness to its external world.

He further added that the convoy will approach farmers and conduct all necessary research to promote the application of techniques related to micro-farming by farmers in the region and all areas where the convoy will arrive.

He added that this work will allow farmers to learn about different technologies to better control the use of irrigation techniques and options (water technology, irrigation periods, and plants needs). Clarifying that they are “essential techniques, especially during this period which witnesses climate changes and requires the farmer to adapt to the circumstances surrounding him”.

He also mentioned the importance of informing farmers of various techniques in this area, and encouraging them to adopt crops that adapt with climate change and practice them in their areas of production. Highlighting that other topics of e-marketing and the use of means of communication by fields and farms will also be addressed in order to obtain the necessary information, including soil analysis and water conservation.

Faisal Al-Sahbawi, director general of AgriEdge, pointed that this unit, which is a part of Mohammed VI University of Technology, concerns micro-agriculture and the development of digital services; aimed at helping farmers rationalize the use of water resources, fertilizers, organic health products and the improvement of their production.

He emphasized the importance of combining these services and providing them to the farmer. Adding that this convoy will arrive first in the cities of Laayoune, El-Jadida, Safi, and Khouribga. Secondly, it will arrive in other areas of the kingdom so as to better train farmers to use these digital tools and show their importance in agricultural production.

Manal Al-Khalidi, director of Agricultural Services Development at AgriEdge, said that after the development of many services tested in field experiments, it is time to bring these solutions closer to farmers. Explaining that it has led to the organization of this convey aimed at bringing these digital technologies closer to the farmer and encourage them to use them.

On this occasion, the organizers set up a gallery to explain these different techniques and innovations to farmers, particularly irrigation and the use of drones, as well as the presentation of innovative agricultural programs.

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The Moroccan fruit sector is expected to have an increase after the previous season’s strong hit.

In spite of the climate constraints and the Covid crisis, The fruit sectors’ production is expected to know a significant increase in Morocco.

The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Aziz Akhnouch, declared that the production of citrus is expected to increase by 29% compared to the previous season due to the increase in the production of new citrus plantations following the Green Morocco Plan.

Akhnouch claims that the expected production of olives is also to register an increase of 14% compared to the previous season, specifying that this increase is due to many factors among which the positive impact of rainfall in April and May.

alkhaleejtoday.co reported, in addition, that date production will go up by 4% compared to last year, thanks to the positive impact of climatic conditions, and the success and effectiveness of the diversification program, a major cornerstone of the Green Morocco Plan.

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