Page 33 - AA 2025 Year Book Summary

Morocco

Strengthening food safety and quality

with climate-smart investment

Morocco is strengthening its agrifood sector through
a new initiative designed to boost climate resilience,
enhance food safety and support small-scale producers.
With technical support from the FAO Investment
Centre, the USD 250 million World Bank-financed
Morocco Transforming Agri-food Systems Program aims
to tackle key challenges in rainfed agriculture, climate
risk management, food safety and market access. The
project was approved on 19th December 2024 and will
last for 5 years.
“This program represents a major investment in the
future of Morocco’s agrifood sector. By integrating
climate-smart practices and improving food safety and
quality, we are supporting Morocco in developing a more
resilient and competitive agrifood system,” said Mohamed food safety measures into agrifood supply chains.
Manssouri, Director of the FAO Investment Centre.
Reducing market risk through strengthened value
The FAO Investment Centre played a key role during
the design phase, providing technical expertise in food chains
safety, value chain analysis and productive alliance set- Small-scale farmers and cooperatives often face
up, and contributed to the ex-ante economic and financial significant market risks, from price fluctuations to limited
analysis of the overall program, ensuring that investments bargaining power.
maximize both environmental and economic benefits to To address these challenges, the program is scaling up
ensure sustainability and impact. Morocco’s Productive Alliances model, which connects
Climate risk management for rainfed agriculture small producers with buyers, financial institutions and
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Morocco’s economy, technical support.
contributing 16 percent of GDP and 19 percent of This approach not only strengthens market linkages
total exports, while employing 67 percent of the rural but also reduces transaction costs and enhances farmers’
workforce. However, climate change has made the sector ability to secure fairer prices.
increasingly vulnerable, particularly in rainfed areas Working closely with Morocco’s Agency for Agricultural
where droughts threaten productivity. Development (ADA), FAO helped refine and scale up
The program supports rainfed wheat and barley the model, drawing on lessons from a pilot initiative that
smallholder farmers in adopting climate-smart practices, successfully linked producer groups with commercial
including conservation agriculture, improved water and partners across multiple value chains, such as Cumin,
soil management and crop rotation with leguminous and Argan and others. The expanded program prioritizes
fodder crops. women and youth-led alliances, fostering greater
These measures will help reduce greenhouse gas inclusion in sustainable agricultural markets.
emissions, optimize water use and boost productivity. In Beyond individual cooperatives, the program fosters
total, 120 000 farmers, including 18 000 young people and structured commercial agreements and tailored business
6 000 women, are expected to benefit. plans that provide producers with access to capital,
Ensuring safe and nutritious food supplies for food training and improved production methods.
security Organic farming alone is expected to expand to 25 000
While increasing productivity is key, food safety hectares, including crops such as olive oil, as well as high
and quality are also central to Morocco’s agricultural value fresh horticulture and fruits, further boosting key
transformation. Strengthening sanitary standards across export market crops and ensuring premium prices.
1200 food outlets will help protect domestic consumers By strengthening direct linkages with buyers and
while improving market confidence. diversifying marketing arrangements, the initiative aims
The program aims to improve food security and access to enhance market stability and resilience. At the same
to healthy diets – ensuring food is not just available time, its emphasis on climate-smart agriculture, organic
but also safe, nutritious and affordable. This includes production and short supply chains contributes to a
enhancing traceability systems and integrating stronger more sustainable and resource-efficient food system in
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