- Washington “follows with interest” Morocco’s openness onto Africa (John Kerry)Posted 11 years ago
- The trial of South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius opened in Pretoria on Monday.Posted 11 years ago
- USA welcomes efforts of King Mohammed VI in MaliPosted 11 years ago
- Egypt’s population reaches 94 millionPosted 11 years ago
- Mugabe celebrates his 90thPosted 11 years ago
- Moroccan Monarch to Build a Perinatal Clinic in BamakoPosted 11 years ago
- King Mohammed VI handed a donation of bovine semen for the benefit of Malian breeders.Posted 11 years ago
- Moroccan King’s strategic tour to Africa: Strengthening the will of pan African Solidarity and stimulating the south-south cooperation mechanisms over the continentPosted 12 years ago
- Senior al-Qaida leader killed in AlgeriaPosted 12 years ago
- Libya: The trial of former Prime Minister al-Baghdadi AliPosted 12 years ago
Agriculture and Food Security in the heart of Morocco-Rwanda new partnership
King Mohammed VI and president of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagamé, chaired, on Thursday in Kigali, the ceremony to launch an agriculture partnership program between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Rwanda.
Signed bilateral pacts concern chiefly Moroccan assistance and investment in Rwanda’s agriculture sector in terms of productivity and cutting cost of operation.
Geraldine Mukeshimana, the minister for agriculture and animal resources, and her Moroccan counterpart Aziz Akhannouch signed the agreements setting out a general framework for cooperation between the two countries.
Dr Mukeshimana also signed an agreement with Hicham Belram, the chief executive of Moroccan Agricultural Insurance, for the establishment of multi-peril crop insurance products in Rwanda, which will be implemented in partnership with local insurance companies.
Speaking to The press, Mukeshimana said the partnership with Morocco would greatly benefit smallholder farmers who incur heavy losses in the event of drought.
“We are well aware that this will be a huge relief to our farmers across the country as it will give them confidence to invest in the sector,” she said.
Fertiliser firm
The Minister for Agriculture also signed a pact with Mostafa Terrab, the chief executive of Phosphate Mining Company, for the establishment of a fertiliser blending facility in the country.
The plant will enable the country to produce tailor made fertiliser products for local use with possibilities of export.
Mukeshimana said establishing a fertiliser blending plant in the country will give farmers access to better products that are tailor made for the local market.
She added that the new facility will also make fertilisers affordable to farmers.
“We also hope to become a regional hub for fertiliser production and export it to regional countries, which will also reduce Rwanda’s trade deficit,” she said.
Terrab said they were looking to create an ecosystem that would also involve members of the local private sector.
He said Rwanda has, in previous years, exhibited a lot of potential in developing agriculture sector, which makes the country an ideal destination for them to invest, adding that with Rwanda as a hub, the firm is targeting the regional market, which also holds enormous potential.
Moroccan agriculture minister Aziz Akhannouch said the two countries will seek to learn from each other on agriculture sector development.
Akhannouch said Rwanda will learn a lot from Morocco’s model which has played a key role in reducing poverty levels and speeded up the Maghrib nation’s economic development in recent years.
Giving insights into the role of agriculture in Morocco’s economic development, he said, since 2008, they had put agriculture at the centre of their economy, they had seen growth in their gross domestic product as well as other micro and macro-economic impacts.
Going forward, Akhannouch said, the partnership of the two countries to learn from one another could set the tone for the rest of the continent.
Rwanda and the Kingdom of Morocco, on Wednesday, signed 19 pacts to strengthen bilateral ties and create a myriad of opportunities for their citizens.
King Mohammed VI has been in Rwanda since Tuesday for a state visit, part of his tour of the region. Other countries he is expected to visit are Tanzania and Ethiopia.