"The last snow and widespread rainfall over the entire national territory will have a positive impact on the agricultural campaign", said the latest statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and forests.

The guardianship indicates in this sense that rainfall forecasts and snowfall for the coming weeks should allow a reduction of the rainfall deficit. Indeed, the snowfall and the runoff will allow the reconstitution of the reserves of the dams and the water tables. The department notes that the crops in place continue their vegetative cycle normally. The satellite images show a good vegetative state of the cultures which evolves favorably taking into account climatic conditions and forecasts.

The condition of rangelands, fallows and forage crops continues to improve at the national level. This should translate into a good availability of livestock feed. The ministry also confirms that the health status of the livestock is good. Autumn crops and fruit growing will also experience a good pace of development. As for the provinces affected by the cold and snow wave, which have problems with the supply of livestock feed, the department says it has implemented a subsidized barley distribution program.

The significant delay recorded at the beginning of the agricultural year in the matter of the precipitations. The impact of this precipitation was "very positive" on the autumn crops, arboriculture and rangelands, thus enabling farmers to start up their maintenance operations, particularly with nitrogen fertilizers and weeding.

Agricultural growth in Africa: Morocco's efforts rewarded at the AU

New consecration for Morocco at the African Union (AU). Morocco was awarded in Addis Ababa by the AU for its performance in implementing the Malabo Declaration on Accelerating Agricultural Growth in Africa. The award was presented by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, AU's current Chairperson, on the second day of the 30th Summit of African Heads of State and Government.

Morocco is in fact presented as a model to be followed on a continental scale thanks to the Green Morocco Plan. During this meeting, the ministers and heads of the agriculture departments of the AU member countries reviewed the biennial continental report on the implementation of the Malabo Declaration on Agriculture, Food and Agriculture. Morocco, which had presented its achievements in this direction, was widely praised for the convergence of the Green Morocco Plan with the objectives of the Malabo Declaration. Adopted at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Pan-African Organization, in June 2014, in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), the Declaration aims in particular to transform the agricultural sector in the continent to make it an essential vector of development.

The adoption of this declaration also marked the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Africa Comprehensive Agriculture Development Program (ACADP). The Malabo Declaration aims, among other things, to enforce the commitment of countries to allocate at least 10% of public expenditure to agriculture and to ensure its effectiveness and efficiency; create a policy and institutional environment, as well as appropriate support systems or improve existing ones, to promote private investment in agriculture, agribusiness and agro-industry, giving priority to local investments. Through this Declaration, signatory countries also commit to ending hunger in Africa by 2025 by promoting sustainable and reliable agricultural production, as well as access to quality inputs and affordable costs (crops, livestock, fisheries,) by providing, inter alia, "smart" protection for smallholders.

Agriculture: The American Deerfield prospects in Morocco

Americans are eyeing the Moroccan agricultural sector. The top management of Deerfield AG Services, an Ohio-based company, made the trip to Morocco in search of business opportunities. Bill Wallbrown, CEO of Deerfield, and his director of new business development, John Wallbrown, have indeed met the main operators of the sector at an event in Casablanca organized by the United States Consulate.

Through this meeting, the company aims to promote its products and services to Moroccan companies active in the agricultural sector, representatives of agricultural chambers and cooperatives, officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, and other stakeholders in the sector. With its large seed storage capacity of 135,000 tones, Deerfield has strengthened its logistics business with a new, state-of-the-art container loading facility based in Massillon, Ohio. With this equipment, Deerfield is able to load agricultural products into containers and deliver them directly to Moroccan customers, including mid-sized companies. By frequently shipping quantities much smaller than bulk, the company aims to reduce the cost and delivery time to its customers.

The Casablanca-Settat region provides 35% of national production selected seeds

The region of Casablanca-Settat contributes with 35% of the production of selected seeds at the national level. The region reserves about 16,500 hectares to produce some 500,000 quintals of selected seeds. Casablanca-Settat region, one of the most important producers of selected seeds for Morocco, contributes significantly to the country's food security. In this context, the professional organizations in the region are able to play an active role in the development of this sector.

The role played by the national company in seed marketing at the national level in general and at the regional level in particular, particularly in seed production management and marketing is an important pillar for developing this kind of agriculture.