Morocco Pledges to Foster Agricultural Development, Food Security in Africa

Rabat – Mohamed Sadiki, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests, has highlighted the crucial role of the agriculture sector in Moroccan-African cooperation during a series of bilateral meetings in Marrakech on Friday.

Speaking after discussions with counterparts from African nations, Sadiki emphasized the common objectives of agricultural development, production enhancement, and food sovereignty shared by Morocco and its African partners.

“The agriculture sector plays a robust role in the cooperation between the Kingdom of Morocco and African countries,” Sadiki stated. “There are significant shared priorities between our nation and these African countries when it comes to agricultural development, bolstering production, and achieving food security.”

Minister Sadiki highlighted Morocco’s considerable expertise, largely attributable to initiatives launched by King Mohammed VI, including the Green Morocco Plan, the Green Generation Plan, and the “Aleutis” fishing plan. He expressed Morocco’s willingness to collaborate and share best practices, particularly in the fields of irrigation and water conservation.

In addition to agricultural development, Sadiki’s meetings with African officials focused on the challenges posed by climate change and its impact on the agricultural sector. He emphasized the importance of developing adaptable and sustainable agricultural systems that allow for increased production with fewer resources, especially in terms of water and soil.

These bilateral discussions took place on the sidelines of the second session of the African Debate on the Reduction of Health Risks, held from September 27 to 29. Organized under the patronage of King Mohammed VI and under the banner “Health in Africa… Water, Environment, and Food Security,” the event aimed to shed light on the state of health systems and food security in Africa.

It also aimed to develop an African framework based on the experiences of participating countries and the insights of experts in public health, risk anticipation, and crisis management.

The overall goal of the debate is to explore effective preventive measures that mitigate the consequences of crises at the humanitarian, social, political, and economic levels. In doing so, it aims to develop a common health policy to address health risks and crises together.