USAID receives prize at International Agriculture Show in Meknès

The US Agency for International Development was recognised by King Mohammed VI at a recent agricultural trade show for its contributions to the country's agricultural development.

Rabat - By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia.com – 30/04/08 .

King Mohammed VI awarded USAID the prize for best international participation at the third Moroccan International Agriculture Show in Meknes on Monday (April 28th).

Morocco awarded the Best International Participation prize to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at the third Moroccan International Agriculture Show (SIAM) Monday (April 28th) in Meknès.

Some 600 exhibitors representing 25 countries participated in the fair. More than a half million visitors viewed seven thematic sections covering all areas of agriculture, from supplies and livestock farming to products and mechanisation.
King Mohammed VI presented the trophy to USAID Agriculture Programme specialist Jawad Bahaji, representing the agency’s director in the fair. The agency was among 39 economic operators honoured at the event's closing ceremony for its efforts in developing the sector in Morocco’s different regions.

"This award translates the significant efforts that USAID/Morocco has been doing to develop Moroccan Agriculture for more than five decades and the sound and strong partnership with the agency’s public and private Moroccan counterparts, especially in Agriculture value chain development approach", Bahaji said in a statement to Magharebia.

Through the five-year Integrated Agriculture and Agribusiness Programme (AAI), the agency is helping Moroccan agriculture and agribusiness respond favourably to new circumstances created by the Free Trade Agreement with the United States and other trade agreements with Morocco’s trading partners.

The 2005-2009 AAI program contributes to: improved public policies and institutions, increased agricultural and livestock production, improved competitiveness in agro-processing industries, enhanced capacity to support competitive value chains..

AAI consultant Brahim Soudi said that USAID approach in analysing agricultural production chains in Morocco is intended to improve the competitiveness of the sector by involving a large number of small producers and processors, with contributions from supporting actors and markets.
Future programs, such as the Millennium Challenge Compact – a five-year, $697.5m agreement aimed at reducing poverty and increasing Morocco's economic growth – will target improved productivity in this sector.

"USAID richly deserves the prize, given its sustained action in support of agricultural development," said farmer Mohamed Brami. He explained that the agency's efforts are evident in both finance and technical assistance.

Brami cited an agency analysis of the olive oil production chain in the Saiss region, which "set out strategic directions to improve the chain’s competitiveness, including establishing companies to manage logistics, institutes to provide technical training in jobs relating to olive growing, and companies specialising in marketing olive products".

Fatiha Farrato of the Women and Rural Development association agreed that USAID initiatives have improved Moroccan agriculture. Awarding the trophy to USAID, she said, is the logical outcome of efforts made by the agency to promote and modernise the agriculture sector at the regional level.