New AYA Biotechnology Plant to advance Morocco’s food security strategy
Morocco launched the AYA (Anouar Yieldest Additives) industrial project Wednesday in Jorf Lasfar, worth a 480-million-dirham investment in agro-industrial biotechnology by Anouar Invest group. The facility marks significant progress toward the kingdom’s food sovereignty and industrialization objectives while establishing new export capabilities in biotechnology sectors.
The plant extends over 7.1 hectares including 28,700 square meters of covered space across three levels, generating over 500 direct and indirect jobs. Environmental sustainability features prominently, with water treatment facilities meeting international standards and 14 MW installed electrical capacity, 40 percent derived from green electricity production, substantially reducing the site’s carbon footprint.
The officials attending the launch ceremony, including Industry and Trade Minister Ryad Mezzour, Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari, Investment Minister Karim Zidane, and Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Omar Hejira have welcomed the project as it aligns with Morocco’s industrialization drive and domestic investor confidence. AYA enshrines the country’s food and industrial sovereignty while creating a new export sector in biotechnology, and contributing to job creation, talent development, and regional economic strengthening.
They noted the project’s integration with the Green Generation Strategy, utilizing molasses from sugar industry by-products to create value-added production linking upstream agriculture with downstream industry. This approach strengthens food security while advancing sustainable, inclusive development models.
This New Investment Charter-supported project fulfills King Mohammed VI’s vision for food and industrial sovereignty, they underlined, emphasizing Morocco’s competitive, internationally-oriented industrial capabilities, with the facility strengthening global value chain presence and promoting national expertise.
The AYA project exemplifies Morocco’s strategic approach to agricultural industrialization, combining environmental responsibility with economic development while positioning the kingdom as a regional biotechnology leader.