Morocco’s National Institute for Agricultural Research, known as INRA, registered eight new plant varieties in 2025 and published more than 400 scientific papers in peer-reviewed international journals, according to INRA latest annual activity report, which highlights a year of significant scientific advances.
“Agricultural research appears more than ever as a strategic lever to support the transition toward more resilient, efficient and sustainable production systems,” Lamiae Ghaouti, the institute’s director was quoted by Aujourd’hui le Maroc as saying. INRA’s mission is to translate scientific knowledge into concrete solutions for farmers, regions and policymakers, she said, adding that the eight new varieties bring the total registered since 2020 to 34.
Among the year’s most notable achievements was the first chromosome-scale sequencing, assembly and annotation of the reference genome of the argan tree, achieved using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing technologies and published in Nature’s Scientific Data. The work reconstructed all 11 chromosomes of the tree, endemic to Morocco, and identified more than 35,000 genes, positioning the kingdom among reference countries in plant genomics.
Researchers also released the first high-resolution national maps, at 250-meter resolution, of available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium in Moroccan agricultural soils, built from more than 12,000 soil samples and 76 environmental variables analyzed using artificial intelligence. The institute additionally secured two patents during the year: a spirulina-based feed additive to prevent fluorosis in livestock, and a propagation technique for argan cuttings that achieved a 97 percent rooting rate, the daily stated.
On the financial side, INRA’s overall budget stood at 328.4 million dirhams, split between operating expenses and capital investment. The institute’s governing board, chaired by Agriculture Minister, met this week to review 2025’s technical and financial results alongside progress on the institute’s 2025-2028 medium-term research program.
