Morocco and France renew agricultural partnership with new joint initiatives

Wednesday 22 April 2026 - 11:40

By: Dakir Madiha

Morocco and France renew agricultural partnership with new joint initiatives

Morocco and France have relaunched their agricultural cooperation during a high-level meeting held on April 21 in Meknès, on the sidelines of the 18th International Agriculture Show in Morocco. The session brought together Ahmed El Bouari and Annie Genevard, alongside institutional, scientific, and technical representatives from both countries.

The meeting followed the framework agreement signed in October 2024 and assessed progress made since the previous edition of the event. Both sides reviewed ongoing initiatives in agriculture and forestry and set priorities for cooperation covering the 2026 to 2027 period. Officials confirmed that bilateral collaboration has entered a new phase driven by knowledge transfer, technical exchange, and joint projects with measurable impact.

The partnership spans several strategic areas. These include professional training, academic research, food safety standards, and the development of agricultural and agro-industrial sectors. Both delegations highlighted the outcomes of the 2025 cross-agricultural year, which strengthened ties between institutions, regional actors, and private operators. Progress achieved since 2024 was also acknowledged, with agreement on key areas requiring further coordination.

Livestock development emerged as a central focus, reflecting its role as the main theme of the 2026 exhibition. Discussions addressed herd rebuilding, productivity improvement, and restructuring of livestock value chains. Both countries explored cooperation in genetic improvement and the expansion of feed resources to support more resilient production systems.

Education and research cooperation also featured prominently. Joint programs now include student exchanges, dual-degree pathways, and collaborative research projects. These initiatives aim to build long-term capacity and align technical expertise across both agricultural systems.

In the area of sanitary and phytosanitary standards, progress has been recorded since the 2024 administrative arrangement. Coordination between Morocco’s ONSSA and France’s DGAL has strengthened risk prevention and management. This technical dialogue also supports safer and more efficient agricultural trade flows between the two countries.

Officials stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in forestry and sustainable water management. These sectors face increasing pressure due to climate change and resource scarcity. Both sides agreed to structure future collaboration around concrete projects that address these challenges directly.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Morocco and France reaffirmed their commitment to deepen this strategic partnership. New initiatives will focus on agricultural advisory services, youth integration in rural areas, digital transformation, and strengthening human resource capacities across the sector.