Moroccan-French Meeting Discusses Agricultural, Agri-Industrial Development Challenges

The speakers noted that agriculture and agri-industry play an important role in the economic growth and social stability of both countries. 

They also stressed the importance of adopting sustainable and innovative practices to improve agricultural productivity, while addressing the challenges of climate change and water scarcity. 

Discussions also highlighted the need to strengthen partnerships to promote local processing of agricultural products, in order to enhance the value of national production and ensure long-term food security.

Speaking at the event, Hakim Marrakchi, Chairman and CEO of Maghreb Industries, emphasized that the future of Moroccan agriculture lay in more value-added crops per cubic meter of water, with the aim of supporting wealth creation and employment. 

Marrakchi also emphasized the importance of strengthening logistics and quality control to facilitate exports to Europe, stressing the need to optimize statistical controls to make trade more fluid, ensuring better integration of Moroccan products on the European market.

For his part, Jean-Philippe Puig, Managing Director of the Avril Group, identified three major challenges for agricultural development in Morocco. 

These include the impact of recurrent drought, which requires crops to adapt to climate change and is a shared challenge worldwide. 

The second challenge is to guarantee food to Morocco’s growing population and contribute to food security in Africa, Puig said, adding that the third challenge is to ensure that Moroccan farmers are adequately remunerated, in particular by promoting local processing of agricultural products.

As for recommendations for the future of the agri-food sector, Puig stressed the importance of strengthening three pillars, namely farmers and breeders, all the players involved around these farmers, and training centers.

He also stressed the importance of decarbonizing agriculture, underlining the unique opportunity that Morocco has, thanks to its green energy and water resources, to show the way towards a more sustainable agriculture and set an example for other countries.