Mr. Bouari Leads Field Visit to Promote Agricultural Production and Encourage Farmers in the Fès-Meknès Region
As part of his commitment to monitoring farmers’ conditions and directly overseeing the progress of agricultural production chains, the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Mr. Ahmed Bouari, conducted a field visit today, Friday, March 21st. The visit covered several agricultural estates in the prefecture of Meknès and the provinces of El Hajeb and Ifrane.
The Minister began his tour in the Haj Kadour area within the prefecture of Meknès, where he visited a model farm and closely examined the state of agricultural production, particularly focusing on fruit trees, vegetables, fruits, and livestock production. The visit also included stops at the communes of Ait Boubidmane and Sebaa Aiyoun in the province of El Hajeb, where he monitored the workflow in these vital agricultural areas. He praised the efforts of small-scale farmers, urging them to double their efforts to develop the agricultural sector, especially regarding onion and cereal cultivation, which are characteristic of the El Hajeb province and serve as an important lever to support the region’s agricultural development and improve national production.
This field visit provided an opportunity to listen to the concerns of farmers and engage directly with their expectations. During the visit, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to supporting farmers, listening to their needs, and enhancing projects aimed at modernizing irrigation systems and promoting innovative solutions for sustainable and resilient agriculture.
Indeed, the adoption of climate-smart technologies is now considered a crucial response to securing agricultural production, ensuring sustainable agricultural development, and supporting the rural economy.
Accompanying the Minister on this visit were several central officials from the Ministry, alongside Mr. Kamal Haidan, Regional Director of Agriculture for the Fès-Meknès region, as well as representatives of various agricultural professional organizations. This reflects the participatory approach adopted by the Ministry in implementing its strategies and advancing the agricultural sector.
It is worth noting that the Meknès region was the scene of Mr. Bouari’s first official activity after being appointed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, to head the Ministry. This was marked by his personal supervision of the inauguration of the new agricultural season from Meknès. He had also previously announced, from the same city, the launch of a new national strategy to promote livestock, culminating in a decisive decision to ban the slaughter of female livestock—a measure that the Ministries of Interior and Agriculture have begun to enforce through official circulars issued on March 19th.
These visits and initiatives fall within a comprehensive and integrated vision aimed at strengthening national food security, supporting farmers’ resilience, and promoting sustainable rural development, positioning the agricultural sector as a true driver of the national economy and a fundamental pillar of social justice in the Kingdom.
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