SIAM 2019 gives fresh impetus to cooperation between Morocco and Switzerland

Innovation in the spotlight

Among the Swiss companies led on site by State Secretary Bernard Lehman, Director of the Federal Office for Agriculture, were: ABB, Buhler, CleantehcAlps, Cotecna, Éléphant Vert, Givaudan, Nestlé, Panalpina, SGS, Sicpa, Sika, Syngenta and Swissport. All of them companies driven by the development of new, environmentally friendly technologies, which came to showcase a genuine concentrate of innovation and expertise.
“On the Swiss stand, we focused on what we do best, namely innovation, where we are leaders. We considered ways to improve the productivity of small farms and move them beyond subsistence farming towards the national market and, why not, towards exports”, explained Mr Sami Zerelli, President of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Morocco.

At the end of SIAM 2019, and following the great success of the Swiss companies with professionals and smallholders, 10 agreements were also signed between Swiss and Moroccan companies, notably in the fields of employment and sustainable agriculture (see box 1). The governments of the two countries, for their part, reiterated their determination to strengthen bilateral cooperation through the signing of a declaration of intent on technical dialogue in the fields of sustainable agriculture and sustainable food systems.
The place given to Switzerland at this SIAM 2019 gave fresh impetus to agricultural cooperation between the two countries. And for H.E. the Ambassador, “it is a great recognition of the commitment of Switzerland and its companies in Morocco”.

Morocco / Switzerland: 10 agreements signed between private operators!

– CCSM/Cebio agreement: To give CEBIO members the benefit of the technical expertise of Swiss companies that are members of the CCSM in the fields of certification, logistics, transport and organic farming.

This agreement was followed by the signing of supplementary agreements between Cebio and the Swiss companies:

– SGS/CEBIO supplementary agreement: To promote cooperation in the field of organic farming through the certification of producers to the various management systems, training on standards and good hygiene practices, bacteriological and physico-chemical analyses of water and food…

– Panalpina/CEBIO supplementary agreement: Support for organic farmers in the temperature-controlled supply chain and search for commercial partners in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

– Eléphant Vert/CEBIO supplementary agreement: Technical support for organic farmers, for crop management practices and for conversion to organic farming

– Sicpa/CEBIO supplementary agreement: Support for organic farmers in defining their brand protection strategies and in risk assessment and management.

– Nestlé/ENAM agreement: To promote scientific research in agriculture, continuing training and the transfer of techniques for the benefit of farmers and milk producers partnering with Nestlé Maroc. The agreement also allows ENAM engineering students to develop and put into practice the academic knowledge acquired at the Institute through field placements, visits, study days and final-year projects.

– Nestlé/Crédit Agricole du Maroc agreement: Partnership on financial education for farmers in the dairy sector.
Delivered by the Crédit Agricole du Maroc Study and Research Centre (CERCAM), the programme will cover two areas: financial education and dairy farm management tools. It will target more than 12,000 dairy producers grouped into 123 cooperatives over a period of three years.

– Eléphant Vert/FIMABIO agreement: Support and assistance for farmers in their practices and in the process of converting to organic production.

– Eléphant Vert/Agronomic and Veterinary Institute agreement: Training of agricultural engineering and technician students in organic farming and organic conversion. Employment integration of graduates.

– Eléphant Vert/Prince Sidi Mohammed Institute (IPSM) agreement: Training of agricultural engineering and technician students in organic farming and organic conversion. Employment integration of graduates.

“Tayr Al Hor”, a model village by Nestlé Maroc

On the eve of its launch, the project to build the model village “Tayr Al Hor” in the Doukkala region was presented at SIAM 2019. This exemplary project by Nestlé Maroc aims to develop rural areas in Morocco and promote good practices in the livestock sector. Groupe Crédit Agricole du Maroc, Syngenta, Quadran, Alf Al Maghrib and United Projet are the partners working with Nestlé Maroc to build the model village. This project, driven by Nestlé’s commitment to “improve quality of life and contribute to a healthier future”, provides for the construction of all the basic infrastructure needed to ensure a decent income for the inhabitants of a village while promoting cutting-edge milk production.