The work of the 8th edition of the Africa agri forum, which began today, at the Taghazout station, will have to debate the thorny question of food sovereignty. 400 key players in the African agricultural sector are taking part with the objective of identifying possible solutions to the economic and food challenges facing the African continent.
Soaring raw material prices, recurrent droughts and fluctuations in harvests and agricultural yields…, the post-covid crisis has caused major disruptions in food markets at the international level, once once more placing the question of food and agriculture at the center of the political and economic concerns of governments, particularly in Africa. There is now widespread awareness of the fragility of production and supply systems and the vital nature of the food chain.
Africa has found itself at the heart of this unprecedented food crisis, which has brought back to the fore the priority of food sovereignty, which has become an emergency for the countries of the continent. Faced with this situation, the work of the 8th edition of the Africa agri forum, which began today, at the Taghazout station, will have to discuss this sensitive subject with the participation of nearly 400 key players in the African agricultural sector. . The objective is to identify possible solutions to current economic and food challenges.
Note that the 2022 edition of this Forum is coming, following a decade of absence, to North Africa, the seven previous editions having been held in Abidjan, Libreville and Yaoundé. It should also be noted that Mauritania, present with a large delegation, was designated as the guest of honor, thus confirming the Pan-African vocation of this Forum. This meeting will be an opportunity to deepen, in particular, the priority axes for the development of the African agricultural sector within the framework of South-South cooperation.
Strengthen South-South cooperation and regional integration
It goes without saying that with the food crisis currently shaking the continent, African countries have no alternative but to strengthen their cooperation within the framework of regional and continental integration. This will enable the continent to take advantage of the agricultural potential it has while facilitating trade in agricultural products between the countries concerned.
As a reminder, the Inter-African Free Trade Agreement entered into force on January 1, 2021, in accordance with the commitments made by the States having signed and ratified the text of the African Continental Free Trade Area (Zlecaf). On the sidelines of this edition, and in partnership with the Regional Council of Souss-Massa and the regional section of the CGEM, particular attention will be paid to this territory with a strong agricultural vocation which represents more than 65% of the exports of market gardeners, greengrocers and citrus at the national level.
It should be noted in this sense that a pavilion has been dedicated to this territory, as part of this 2022 edition of the Africa agri forum. In order to better capitalize on the potential offered by this exporting Region to the markets of the EU, North America and sub-Saharan Africa, a round table will be dedicated to it to present its agricultural advances.
Among which we can cite the capture of added value through consolidation on the part of the food industry. Out of more than 6.256 billion dirhams of investment validated in 2022 (provisional assessment), the agri-food sector has monopolized more than 2.2 billion dirhams, or 37% of the total. It has therefore risen to first place, not only in terms of investments received, but also of jobs provided and industrial land acquired.
Giving an African dimension to the ZAI du Souss-Massa
As part of its mission to promote investment in the territory of Souss-Massa, the regional CGEM will seize the opportunity of holding this Forum to deploy its vision of economic partnership with the African continent, mainly in terms of the component related to the establishment of direct logistics solutions through shipping lines linking the port of Agadir to those of West Africa. The aim is to give an African dimension to the Souss-Massa Industrial Acceleration Zone (ZAI).
Today, global import trends show that West Africa is positioning itself as a promising market. Fruits and vegetables are the main products imported by this regional group, while the four main importing countries are Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Mauritania. These coastal countries mainly re-export to landlocked countries, notably Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
However, the main suppliers benefiting from this dynamic are the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and South Africa. This is the reason why this event, with an African dimension, will also give companies in the Region the opportunity to get closer to their counterparts from all over the continent to establish commercial relations, debate and exchange on the best opportunities and potentialities that presents the African platform.
Remember that the Africa agri forum, created in 2012, is the major annual and regional event for agriculture in French-speaking Africa. This 8th edition was initiated by One Africa Forums under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Waters and Forests, in partnership with OCP Africa and with the support of the African Union , the Souss-Massa Region and the CGEM Souss-Massa.
Yassine Saber / ECO Inspirations