Morocco-Germany Working Group on Food & Agriculture convenes 1st meeting in Rabat
The Moroccan-German Working Group on Food and Agriculture held its first meeting in Rabat this week. This inaugural meeting officially launched the Group’s activities, identified short- and medium-term priority themes, facilitated exchanges on ongoing bilateral initiatives, and defined concrete areas of collaboration, Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.
The meeting also served to determine how non-state stakeholders, including research institutions, the private sector, and civil society—will be engaged, while establishing the governance, leadership, and monitoring modalities for the Group, the statement said.
The creation of this Working Group is part of the dynamic relations between Morocco and Germany, shaped by a biannual Strategic Dialogue. It represents the implementation of the Joint Declaration signed during the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin on January 18, 2025, reflecting the shared will of both countries’ agriculture departments to strengthen cooperation in the agricultural and food sectors, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Working Group is a concrete outcome of strong political will, formalized by the Joint Declaration, and embodies the two departments’ determination to build a stronger, more resilient, and more productive agricultural partnership, the statement explained.
Beyond institutional formalization, the Working Group holds major strategic value by offering a unique framework to foster agricultural innovation, promote the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise, enhance food security, and support sustainable and inclusive solutions for both countries’ agricultural sectors.
It thus has the potential to become a model of exemplary bilateral cooperation, capable of delivering tangible and lasting economic, social, and environmental impacts.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening exchanges, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainable development in the agricultural sector for the benefit of populations and agricultural value chains in both countries.
The German side to the meeting was chaired by the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Regional Identity (BMLEH), Martina Englhardt-Kopf.
In 2022, bilateral trade in farming products reached €4.9 billion, with agro-food products accounting for less than 5%. Moroccan exports, valued at €2.1 billion, were dominated by fruits and vegetables, while German exports to Morocco totaled €2.8 billion.
However, growth prospects are strong. German demand for fresh, seasonal, and certified organic products continues to rise. Between January and March 2024, Morocco exported nearly 35,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables to Germany, a 40% increase year-on-year.