The head of government, Aziz Akhannouch, unveiled, Monday, May 8 in the House of Representatives, the vision of his cabinet to establish a national system of food sovereignty.
In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 of article 100 of the Constitution and the provisions of the Rules of Procedure, the House of Representatives held, on Monday, May 8, a plenary session devoted to oral questions addressed to the head of government on general policy, in particularly on the subject of food sovereignty.
For the Chief of the Executive, this subject is of great importance given its link, in particular, with the dynamism of major transformations and changes taking place on the national and international scene.
” It is clear that the transformations experienced by the international community are more indicative of challenges whose levels are difficult to predict and whose dynamics cannot be controlled, particularly in the face of competition from various countries around the world, after the health crisis, to obtain resources in order to consolidate their national sovereignty“, he clarified.
In his speech, Akhannouch also stressed that the government he leads is working, under the visionary leadership of King Mohammed VI, to lay the foundations for a sustainable food system based on modern high value-added agriculture to achieve food sovereignty. desired.
The Kingdom of Morocco has been keen, since independence, to pay the necessary attention to the bet on food security, by approving public policies and agricultural plans concerned with achieving self-sufficiency and food security, he said. he called back.
And to add: Our country has been able, God be praised, to put in place an innovative agricultural model, endowed with long-term strategic choices to develop food production and strengthen the immunity of the agricultural sector and its tenacity in the face of fluctuations.“.
The achievements of the Green Morocco Plan have reached the set thresholds and the expected objectives, particularly with regard to the achievement of food security for Moroccans, Akhannouch further maintained.
In this sense, he noted that the Green Morocco Plan has contributed to the full exploitation of Morocco’s agricultural potential, by doubling the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) to reach the milestone of 127 billion dirhams in 2021, and by tripling the exports, while creating more than 50 million additional jobs with an employment rate of 75% in the rural sector, which has contributed to improving 66% of the average agricultural income in the rural world, while mobilizing total investments of nearly of 160 billion dirhams, of which private investments constitute more than 60%.
He further explained that a battery of important measures have been taken to develop production sectors and ensure their sustainability, particularly those in which Morocco enjoys competitive advantages, by quadrupling the areas irrigated by drip irrigation. drop, planting more than 590,000 hectares of fruit trees, reducing plant and animal diseases, among others.
Akhannouch also expressed his pride that the Kingdom has achieved a national coverage rate of consumers’ basic needs for red meat, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruits and milk, which fluctuates between 98% and 100%. %, recording the highest indicators in the Middle East and North Africa region, in addition to increasing the rate of coverage of cereal, sugar and oil needs.
The efforts made, according to the head of government, have resulted in a reduction of the agricultural trade balance deficit, since the coverage of imports by agricultural exports has increased from 49% in 2008 to 65% in 2020. “ Our country also recorded, during the period from 2008 to 2020, the stability of the consumer price index. Foodstuffs accounted for 0.2%, compared to the global average of 1.7% for this indicator” , he added.
To this end, he specified that his government will continue, through the constituent axes of the “Green Generation 2020-2030” strategy, to consolidate a sustainable agricultural policy and implement it in a responsible, participatory and comprehensive manner.
To conclude: ” The main transitional elements of the Generation Green strategy are represented by the increase in agricultural production to follow the evolution of domestic consumption and devote the transition to a sustainable food system, doubling the agricultural gross domestic product and working to reach 70% of the value of agricultural production“.