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Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 11:16 p.m.
Meknes – Morocco and Spain have common responses to the challenges of climate change, underlined Tuesday in Meknes, the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas.
In a statement to the press, following a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, held on the sidelines of the International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM), Mr. Planas welcomed the “very great” mutual trust which allows the two countries to work together to successfully meet these challenges.
“The identification of common responses to climate challenges makes me very optimistic about the future and reinforces my conviction in the great mutual trust that drives us,” said the Spanish minister, adding that this trust is the foundation of the capacity of two countries to work together to progress and overcome these challenges.
Mr. Planas also indicated that this meeting was an opportunity to discuss commercial exchanges which testify to the solidity of bilateral relations and joint commitment, reaffirming the common desire to strengthen cooperation with a view to increasing more of these exchanges.
Exports play a crucial role in supporting farmers, he judged, recalling the efforts made by Spain and Morocco to support farmers in facing current climate challenges.
The Spanish minister, at the same time, indicated that cooperation between the two countries targets several sectors, including digital and technological advances in the water sector, as well as the development of water projects by Spanish companies in Morocco, particularly in Agadir.
In addition, he focused on the challenges in animal and plant health, specifying that Morocco, as countries bordering Africa, and Spain, countries bordering the European Union, are called to manage these issues closely.
“There remains much to do in the agricultural field (…) We must guarantee food security for our populations, because political instability in certain parts of the world impacts our international markets, and our governments face many challenges to ensure this food security,” noted Mr. Planas.
For his part, Mr. Sadiki noted that the choice of Spain as guest of honor of the 16th edition of SIAM, testifies above all to the “strong and very solid” relationship between the two Kingdoms in all areas. areas.
“We share a common history and carry Mediterranean culture together, and in the agricultural sector we share the same challenges and maintain an excellent relationship. The challenges of Moroccan farmers are also those of Spanish farmers,” he emphasized.
He added: “As two countries located in the western Mediterranean, we face challenges, but we also have enormous potential unique to our region. Our farming populations are innovative when it comes to dealing with climate change and environmental shocks, particularly the impact on water resources which are difficult to manage”.
Mr. Sadiki thus insisted on the importance of strengthening cooperation around these themes. “It is through innovation and research that we will be able to solve the equation of doing more with less in terms of resources. Spain and Morocco have the privilege of carrying out leading research together. We have all the necessary conditions, whether experimentally, genetic resources or human resources.”
At the end of this meeting, the two ministers made a field visit to the stands of Spanish companies exhibiting in the “International” pole of SIAM.
Organized until April 28 under the theme “Climate and agriculture: For sustainable and resilient production systems”, the 16th edition of SIAM sees the participation of nearly 70 countries and 1,500 exhibitors.
More than 950,000 visitors are expected at this high mass of Moroccan and international agriculture which offers a rich program of 40 conferences and round tables on crucial current themes.
