Rabat: In a bid to bolster agricultural cooperation between Morocco and France, particularly in the areas of training, research, and innovation, the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari, held talks on Thursday in Rabat with the French Minister of Agriculture, Agri-Food, and Food Sovereignty of France, Annie Genevard.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the two ministers underlined the progress achieved in the implementation of the agricultural and forestry roadmap, reaffirming their commitment to expanding cooperation between the two countries. Genevard welcomed the progress made since the Morocco-France Agricultural Year and the first meeting of the Joint Agricultural Committee, noting that exchanges between educational institutions, researchers, and staff from both countries demonstrate the vitality of the bilateral partnership.
Genevard further highlighted that the monitoring committee meeting, held on June 26, showcased new opportun
ities offered by the agricultural bachelor’s degree program, which is expected to further promote exchanges in the field of education. Additionally, the French minister praised the organization of the first webinar on water management, which helped establish promising contacts between stakeholders from both countries regarding watershed management.
She also commended the signing of a new framework agreement between the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) and the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute (IAV) for the 2026-2031 period, describing it as another illustration of the strengthening ties between Morocco and France in the field of agricultural research.
For his part, El Bouari stressed the importance of maintaining this momentum of cooperation, highlighting the role of research, innovation, and the exchange of expertise in addressing the challenges facing the agricultural sector. The minister reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening technical coo
peration mechanisms with France through a partnership based on the sharing of expertise and the development of joint projects aimed at fostering a more resilient agricultural sector.
The two officials also agreed to continue implementing the agricultural and forestry roadmap while expanding joint initiatives in research, innovation, training, and the sustainable management of natural resources as part of the strategic partnership between France and Morocco. The meeting took place as part of the official visit to Morocco by French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who is co-chairing the 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting alongside the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.