Food security, at heart of Morocco’s African policy- minister

Morocco has placed utmost priority on food security in its wider African policy, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said.

Morocco has relied on three levers to boost African food security: Morocco’s fertilizers and phosphates giant OCP, the agriculture ministry, and a south-south cooperation approach spurred by the king, Bourita told an African meeting on fertilizers and soil health in Nairobi.

OCP in particular has increased its fertilizers supplies to the African continent where it is building production plans to meet the needs of African giants such as Nigeria and Ethiopia, while investing in smaller blending units to produce customized fertilizers at an affordable price.

OCP, through its 12 representations across Africa, has also helped African farmers improve soil health through training on sustainable practices and improving access to customized fertilizers.

Now OCP allocates 20% of its fertilizers to the African continent. OCP has been offering 80,000 tons of soil nutrients for free, and 370,000 tons at a discount, that is 25% of all OCP’s supplies to Africa, Bourita said.

Morocco has also given the example locally through the Green Morocco Plan and the ensuing Green Generation plan which led to a surge in output while promoting agri-food industries and social development in rural areas.

In this respect, food security and agricultural development are not only strategic priorities for Morocco but also strategic goals of south-south cooperation, said Bourita.

In 2016, when it hosted the UN climate summit COP22, Morocco initiated the Triple A initiative to strengthen the resilience of African agriculture to climate change.