The Agricultural Development Agency and European partners encourage agroecological projects

In response to the new reality of global and national agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests also launched, on the sidelines of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Meknes, a request for interest to submit projects to encourage ecological agriculture, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union.

The request for interest, which has a financial cover of up to 4 million euros, aims to revive agro-ecological practices in three directions: Fez-Meknes, Souss-Massa and the Eastern Region, within the framework of the “Revival” programme, which derives its objectives from the ambitious strategy “Green Generation 2020-2030”, and benefits from approximately 170 million euros provided by the French Development Agency and the European Union.

With a desire to implement this program on the ground, in a way that would achieve adaptation to the effects of the climate and push towards the adoption of ecological and more sustainable agriculture, the three parties participating in launching the request for attention opened the door for national and international civil society associations to participate and contribute their expertise with the aim of developing the rural world and developing exploitations. agriculture, and adopting ecological and sustainable agricultural practices.

The rationale for these workshops and their general vision were discussed during a symposium held in the space of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Meknes, under the title “A Decisive Step towards Sustainable Agriculture in Morocco.” In it, the broad outlines of this program, which aims to revive ecological practices, were spread in three directions, with the possibility of covering other regions of the national territory in the coming years.

In this regard, Al-Mahdi Al-Rifi, Director General of the Agricultural Development Agency (ADA), one of the parties to the programme, said: “The two European partners; The French Development Agency and the European Union have allocated a financial donation of approximately 44 million dirhams with the aim of financing projects scheduled to be worked on in the three regions included in this project, on an area of ​​up to 8 thousand hectares.

Al-Rifi highlighted, in a statement to Hespress, that “the program aims to establish new patterns of ecological agriculture and keep pace with small farmers and young entrepreneurs in the field of agriculture; Therefore, this request for attention was directed to national and international civil society organizations, which can also participate in these workshops in light of the climatic conditions that the country is experiencing, especially with regard to the drought wave and the high level of water scarcity, especially in these areas that the program primarily targets.”

The same official stated, “This program would enable farmers with new water use techniques, advanced techniques for soil conservation and use of inputs, while benefiting from tracking technologies, which would facilitate increasing their production and improving their living conditions.”

The Director General of the Agricultural Development Agency also pointed out that “this initiative comes primarily within the framework of the ‘Green Generation’ agricultural strategy, which takes the development and promotion of sustainable and ecological agriculture and all practices that improve the resilience of agricultural actors as its primary focus.”

For her part, Kateri Bensen, Director of the French Development Agency in Morocco (AFD), stated that “the activity held today on the sidelines of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Meknes aims mainly to launch a request for attention to Moroccan civil organizations at the level of the regions of Fez-Meknes, Souss-Massa and the eastern region, which this program targets with the aim of establishing for sustainable ecological practices.”

Benson added, in a statement to Hespress, that “the program also aims to ensure the sustainability of agricultural and agricultural production in the Kingdom, and it is among the most prominent points that came within the partnerships signed between Morocco and the European Union,” noting that “the success of these workshops depends on the intensification of the efforts of institutional and civil actors.” Those involved in it.”

In turn, Lise Paty, Member of the European Commission and Head of the Rural and Social Development Department, said: “Today, we are proud to participate in launching the request for special interest from three Moroccan entities; We are therefore facing an ambitious strategy that comes within the framework of joint cooperation between Morocco and the European Union, following the approach of the Green Agreement that was signed previously.”

Patti stated, in a statement to Hespress, that “this aforementioned agreement enabled us to frame various programs that are primarily related to the ecological transition, at a time when we call on civil society actors working in the field of agriculture and the rural world to express their interests and innovative proposals that come in line with climate change, especially in the field of climate change.” “Related to the continuing drought crisis and water scarcity crisis that concerns a number of regions of the world, including Morocco.”