The agricultural sector in Morocco is making several efforts to deal with crises resulting from drought. The 70% drop in cereal production over the past year, due to drought, has accelerated the pace of these efforts.
Director of the National Institute of Agricultural Research, Fawzi Al-Baqawi, says: “We have developed varieties of wheat and barley to be more adaptable to all conditions. In dry years, we harvest a crop of these varieties that is 30% better than other types.”
Scientific efforts to improve production have intensified, in cooperation with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Arid Zones, and have resulted in the opening of a gene bank to protect biodiversity in agriculture.
The representative of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Arid Zones, Ahmed Amri, says: “Cooperation with Morocco focuses on improving genetics to conserve resources, and after we left Syria in 2012, Morocco welcomed us and created a gene bank”.
Mohi Farahi, head of the genetic improvement service at the National Institute for Agricultural Research, explains: “The goal is these varieties that we have developed within the framework of this cooperation. We reached the Moroccan farmer as soon as possible… I tell you that the Agricultural Research Institute attaches importance to seed multiplication, and we started this program three years ago. »
The National Institute of Agronomic Research leads Morocco’s efforts to improve agricultural production and seeks to generalize the experience to all farmers, who pay high costs.
Says farmer Abdullah Slimani. “As for expenses, they have increased… One hectare used to cost 5,000 dirhams and now costs 10,000 dirhams, in addition to the high cost of fertilizers.”
The drought and the rise in wheat prices due to the Ukrainian crisis are pushing Morocco to double national cereal production, in order to avoid any potential crisis.
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