The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently took part in a forum on sustainable value chains in Morocco’s agricultural industry, a segment of the 12th Salon International de l’Agriculture au Maroc.

The goal of the forum was to promoting practices to support sustainable growth in one of the country’s most integral sectors, according to an announcement.

“Agribusiness is a priority sector in Morocco,” EBRD Director in Morocco Marie-Alexandra Veilleux-Laborie said in an announcement. “We, at the EBRD, not only provide finance but – together with partners like FAO – are keen to foster constructive policy discussions and support the development of capacities at all levels of the value chain. This is what we are proposing in Morocco’s olive oil sector, where we hope to introduce changes that are beneficial not only to our clients but to the sector as a whole.”

The EBRD organized the forum in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM). The forum focused on aligning the industry and its value chain players behind a common vision, including more inclusive and environmentally friendly business models and developing technical and managerial skills.

“The promotion of public-private dialogue and cooperation between value chain players is essential for a stronger and more productive agriculture sector in Morocco," Michael George Hage, FAO representative in Morocco, said in the announcement. In this context, inter-professional organisations play an essential role by promoting a unified vision of the sector’s development. They can combine the efforts of all operators in key areas such as research, extension and technology transfer, interact with public authorities on sectoral policies and offer shared services to their members."