The First National Agriculture Meeting… Mr. Bouari Highlights the Key Role of Interprofessional Agricultural Organizations in Ensuring Food Security

The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Mr. Ahmed Bouari, emphasized today, Wednesday, February 19, at the Bouregreg Conference Palace in Salé, the pivotal role played by interprofessional agricultural organizations in strengthening national food security. He stressed their importance as a fundamental lever for ensuring the sustainability of agricultural production and achieving self-sufficiency.

In his speech during the opening of the First National Agriculture Meeting, organized by the Moroccan Confederation of Agriculture and Rural Development under the theme “The Farmer Between Resilience Challenges and Sustainability Issues,” Mr. Bouari highlighted the significance of interprofessional agricultural organizations in supplying markets and ensuring the competitiveness of national agricultural products.

He also underscored the importance of this meeting, which demonstrates the “strong cohesion” between interprofessional federations and various sector stakeholders. He noted that it also provides an opportunity to shed light on the efforts made by farmers and the effective role of interprofessional agricultural organizations in developing production chains.

On this occasion, Bouari reiterated that the ministry is implementing the “Green Generation 2020-2030” strategy, aimed at promoting the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. This is particularly being pursued through the modernization of agriculture by relying on advanced technologies, whether in resource management or in the development of production inputs.

The government official stated that current challenges necessitate enhancing the performance of central administrations and affiliated institutions, in addition to developing a new generation of farmers trained in agricultural innovation. He called for strengthening interprofessional organizations to improve agricultural performance and increase farmers’ incomes, particularly for small and medium-sized farms.

In this context, the minister highlighted the ministry’s efforts to develop distribution channels in coordination with various stakeholders. He stressed the need for a comprehensive restructuring of professional chains to establish a new generation of wholesale markets, slaughterhouses, and agricultural markets.

For his part, the President of the Moroccan Confederation of Agriculture and Rural Development, Rachid Benali, emphasized the significance of this meeting in analyzing the agricultural situation after six years of drought—a situation unprecedented in its severe impact on farmers.

He also pointed to the consequences of this situation on the market, which has led to rising agricultural product prices, affecting Moroccan citizens’ purchasing power.

This meeting, organized by the Confederation, serves as a platform for reflection and exchange of ideas, as well as a framework for proposing solutions that address the cyclical and structural challenges of agricultural and rural development, with the aim of ensuring the country’s food security and sovereignty.

Additionally, this event represents an opportunity for collective reflection to re-establish the agricultural sector as a key force in decision-making. Fundamentally, it aims to contribute effectively to the formulation of appropriate measures and solutions to ensure the sustainability of agricultural activity and investment.

#almouhitalfilahi: Adil EL ARABI