Morocco and France Sign Roadmap to Strengthen Agricultural and Forestry Cooperation

Morocco and France have signed a new roadmap to bolster their partnership in the agriculture and forestry sectors. The agreement was inked during the 16th International Agricultural Show of Morocco (SIAM) in Meknes, where France is represented by 150 exhibitors and a government delegation led by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Safety, Marc Fesneau.

The roadmap, signed by Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, and his French counterpart, aims to promote reciprocity, complementarity, and the pooling of experiences and innovative solutions to help the two countries transition towards sustainable food systems. It seeks to strengthen Morocco-France cooperation in these areas, supporting sustainable development and the emergence of concrete political, sectoral, economic, technical, technological, educational and scientific cooperation.

Several agreements were also signed between French and Moroccan professionals in areas like seeds, meat, milk, small ruminants, and oilseeds. The two countries also agreed on a project for a regional technical center dedicated to oilseeds in Morocco and inter-university agreements to promote research and teaching. The new cooperation will be financially supported by credit agreements worth 72.1 million euros signed between Crédit Agricole and the French Development Agency.

Why this matters: Agriculture is a key pillar of the relationship between Morocco and France, with Morocco exporting 23% of its agri-food products to the French market and France exporting significant amounts of edible vegetables, plants, roots, and tubers to Morocco. The new roadmap and agreements aim to further strengthen this vital economic and strategic partnership between the two countries.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Sadiki emphasized the importance of the agreements, stating, "These agreements involve cooperation between educational and research institutions in the two countries, as well as a partnership with the French Development Agency to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of agriculture in the face of climate change." The roadmap and associated agreements are expected to facilitate enhanced collaboration and knowledge-sharing between Morocco and France in the crucial agriculture and forestry sectors.

Key Takeaways

• Morocco and France signed a new roadmap to bolster partnership in agriculture and forestry.
• The roadmap aims to promote sustainable food systems and strengthen Morocco-France cooperation.
• Several agreements were signed between French and Moroccan professionals in various sectors.
• The new cooperation will be financially supported by credit agreements worth 72.1 million euros.
• The agreements aim to enhance collaboration and knowledge-sharing in agriculture and forestry.