Meknes - As the world faces increasing challenges related to food security, water scarcity, and climate change, Morocco and Israel have been keen to address these issues and leverage their respective strengths in agriculture to achieve shared goals.
Israel’s Minister of Economy Nir Barkat spoke to Morocco World News on the sidelines of the International Exhibition of Agriculture (SIAM) in Meknes, stressing his country’s willingness to collaborate with Morocco on agriculture and agri tech, as well as share its extensive expertise in the sector.
On Wednesday, Barkat visited the fair, which is the largest agricultural trade fair in Morocco. The visit is significant as it marks a major step towards strengthening agricultural relations between the two countries, as well as marking the first Israeli ministerial visit to Morocco since the inauguration of its new government.
Israel’s First-Ever Participation at SIAM
SIAM 2023, which is taking place between May 2 and 7, marked Israel’s first-ever participation at the fair. Barkat inaugurated the Israeli pavilion today with the presence of the head of the Israeli Liaison Office in Rabat Shai Cohen.
For Cohen, Israel's participation at the fair is "the reflection of the opportunities encompassed in the renewal of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel."
He noted that agriculture, water, and food security are common concerns for both countries, allowing for collaboration.
Barkat echoed Cohen's remarks, saying that Morocco and Israel share a common interest in agriculture, given their similar climates and geographical locations. Both countries have a long history of agriculture and have developed advanced techniques for cultivation and production.
Morocco is one of the largest exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables in the world, while Israel is known for its innovation in agricultural technology and production.
Speaking about Israel’s innovative agricultural solutions, Barkat underlined the “desert tech” that Israel has adopted using certain agricultural technologies to achieve a “more effective way to grow and create agriculture.”
These solutions include water desalination, drip irrigation, as well as creating food from the desert and sea, the minister indicated, stressing his country’s willingness to share this knowledge with Morocco and the rest of the world.
Both Morocco and Israel face similar challenges related to water scarcity and have developed innovative solutions to address these challenges. Israel is a world leader in water management and has developed advanced technologies for water conservation and desalination.
Morocco, on the other hand, has implemented policies and programs to improve water efficiency in agriculture, including investing in large-scale infrastructure projects such as dams and irrigation systems.
“Morocco is very well-positioned to be a gateway to Africa and for Israelis to feel comfortable coming here and creating joint ventures with Moroccan companies,” Barkat said. He hopes that Morocco will pave the way for Israel to share its water tech, agri tech, and desert tech expertise with countries across the world.
Partnering in Education, Research
During his visit, Barkat met with Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour to explore potential areas of cooperation in agriculture. “We are eager to create government-to-government infrastructure [with Morocco] to enable businesses to succeed,” he said, commenting on the ministerial meeting.
The areas of collaboration that the two ministers touched on include launching joint training and exchange programs, and educational partnerships between Moroccan and Israeli universities and research institutions active in agriculture and agri tech.
For Barkat, Israel's first-ever participation in SIAM is a “wonderful opportunity” to pave the way for future collaboration on “all fronts,” including education and research. He stressed that future conferences that will take place in Israel will see the participation of Moroccan companies, who will benefit from direct exposure to Israeli technology.
The Israeli economy minister hopes that his country's participation at the exhibition will "fulfill the vision and the dream of putting substance in the peace process," stressing that partners like Morocco help Israel reach this goal.
During his visit to the North African country, Barkat will meet with other Moroccan ministers with the aim of strengthening collaboration across various areas.
The ongoing event kicked off on Tuesday with the participation of hundreds of leading companies from 60 countries, who showcased their latest agriculture technology.
The second day of the event was open to the public, an opportunity for the attendees to discover a wide range of activities, including livestock shows and exhibitions of local products.
