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Rabat – ID3, Diana Holding’s think tank, has called for promoting innovation and strengthening regional partnerships to develop sustainable agriculture in Morocco, in a policy paper published on Monday.
The paper titled “Post-pandemic, water stress and ecological transition: what pathways to agricultural transition for Morocco?” examines environmental degradation, economic fragility, and food security in the North African country.
The research was conducted under the direction of global sustainable development expert Estelle Forget and in collaboration with agricultural engineer Jean-Marie Samson.
Taking into account the overlap between the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in energy prices, and the repeated cycles of drought and heat waves, the ID3 experts called for fostering a resilient logistics supply chain and promoting sustainability across agricultural and production systems.
The experts called for supporting innovative solutions such as client-resilient crops and learning from best regional and global practices.
Additionally, the study emphasized the need to re-examine the choice of crops to reduce their environmental impact.
Last week, for instance, Morocco cut subsidies on the cultivation of water-intensive crops such as watermelon, citrus, and avocado despite their important contribution to the country’s exports.
However, such reforms require the mobilization of different stakeholders, the study says, including farmers, universities, NGOs, and financial institutions to ensure a smooth nationwide transition toward sustainable agriculture.
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ID3’s recommendations underscore the objectives of the decade-long Green Generation strategy for 2020-2030. The strategy follows up on the Green Plan which laid the ground for Morocco’s green development from 2008-2021.
Adopted in 2018 amid rising climate change concerns, Green Generation seeks to train a new generation of entrepreneurs and cultivate innovative solutions in the agricultural sector to make it more “resilient and eco-friendly.”
The strategy also addresses food security and sovereignty, and the usage of strategic stocks to ensure global food security, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture Mohammed Sadiki said in a March interview.
Sadiki noted that his ministry is working to optimize production while focusing on the valorization of the agri-food sector.
Read Also: Morocco Secures €199 million AfDB Loan to Boost Cereal Production
