Rabat – Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Nutrition and the Environment, Isabel Garcia Tajerina, expressed her confidence in the ability of Spain and Morocco, countries with an historic friendship, to jointly manage the problem of water scarcity, choosing water and food security as the slogan of the 9th Agriculture Symposium.
In a statement to the Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) coinciding with the opening of the 9th Agricultural Conference held in Meknes on Monday, Tajerina expressed her pleasure to attend this event for the third year in a row. Important topics of discussion will include water and its relation to food security, stressing how this issue does not only face the African continent, but the entire world.
The Spanish explained that she insisted on participating in this event to exchange opinions with her Moroccan counterpart, Aziz Akhnouch, on the common actions and joint solutions that should be implemented to ensure optimal utilization of water resources for the development of the agricultural sector.
Under the theme “Water Supply, Agriculture and Food Security,” the symposium is being attended by the President of the African Union and President of the Republic of Guinea, Alpha Conde. Also in attendance are 15 ministers of agriculture, among them Maurizio Martina, Italian Minister of Agricultural Policy, Nutrition and Forestry, as well as Isabel García Tequherina.
The session will also feature the participation of African ministers, led by Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture Udo Ogbe and Ethiopian Minister of Agriculture Tefeira Direpo.
The main objective of this international forum is to sensitize and mobilize agricultural actors, decision-makers and public opinion on the need to manage water resources effectively and in full respect for environmental requirements.
This high-level event will highlight the progress of Plan Maroc Vert, which, since its launch in 2008, has made rational use of water resources its top priority. It will also stress the importance of sustainable water use as one of the most important global challenges of the 21st century.
