San Francisco / Morocco Board News– One of the fallacies which is predominant in Morocco about its agricultural products is the notion that because the majority of the small farmers cannot afford to use pesticide and insecticide and chemical fertilizers that these small farms products are organic. Grown without the use of pesticide, insecticide and chemical fertilizers does not make these products organic, but they can be considered as naturally grown products. There is a big difference between organic and natural.
My first encounter with Moroccan organic producers dates way back to 2001. I met and befriended the then President of the then “Association Marocaine des Producteurs et Exportateurs de Produits Biologiques” Mr. Khaji. He and I traveled together to one of the most important organic trade shows known as the “Bio Fach” in Nuremberg, Germany. I had to be at the Bio Fach because many of the American organic companies which I represented in North Africa and the Middle East were exhibiting at the Bio Fach. Prior to that, I had befriended many organic farmers and producers such as the Chairman of the Board of the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), Phillip Larocca and the President of CCOF, Brian Leahy. While at the Bio Fach show, I introduced both gentlemen to Mr. Khaji and we had dinner together at a German restaurant. My hope was that some linkage could have been developed between the two organic organizations and that CCOF could have been a reliable certifier and some of its members/producers could have been encouraged to create potential joint ventures with Moroccan growers since whatever is grown is California is also grown in Morocco and vice-versa.
I have participated within the last 10 years in 5 American Cafes shows organized by the US Embassy’s Agricultural Section in Morocco held in the Hyatt Regency and the Sheraton in Casablanca exhibiting several Organic products representing over 20 organic companies from California in particular and the USA in general. All of the Moroccan food industry members get invited to the American Cafes Trade Show in which many other American companies are present with conventional products. The last American Café Show in which I have participated was held in the Sheraton Hotel last year. I have also participated and recruited Moroccan and American agricultural organic producers and companies to exhibit their organic products at the Dubai MENOPE Trade Show (Middle East Natural and Organic Products Expo) for 5 years in the row. I am actually the representative of the MENOPE in the USA-Canada and North Africa. The MENOPE will be held in Dubai again this year in December. At one of the MENOPES, I had organized for the main speaker to be Mrs. Kathryn Dimatteo, Executive Director of Organic Trade Association (OTA) which sponsors the All Things Organic Trade Show, the largest organic trade show in the USA. I participated with the companies I represented on several occasions during the last 10 years at the following Food Shows: All Things Organic in Chicago, The Gulfood in Dubai, the MENOPE in Dubai, Fruit Logistica in Berlin and Hong Kong, the Bio-Fach in Nuremberg, Germany and the New Hope East Expo in Baltimore and Anaheim California. I became totally and globally immersed and exposed to the whole natural and organic food industry.
In 2006, I was able to get the IOIA (International Organic Inspectors Association) to begin exploring a potential linkage with Maghrebio, another Moroccan Organic Association, headed then by Madame Belakziz, a Pharmacist in Marrekech. Who is IOIA? Since 1992, IOIA has conducted organic inspector trainings in many countries*. IOIA courses are recognized internationally as the most comprehensive organic inspector training available. We currently deliver courses in English, French, Japanese and Spanish.
* Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States
After several preparatory meetings with both sides, Miss Lisa Pierce, Director of IOIA International Training and Miss Whalin Leahy the daughter of the President of CCOF and I were on our way to Morocco to establish contacts with Maghrebio. We spent 2 weeks visiting Morocco and holding meetings with all of the people and organizations interested in organic activities in Morocco such as EPSODE (A business women association). We visited organic citrus growing farms near Marrakech and we visited farms in Agadir and in the Doukkala. We also had a chance to visit the Strawberry and vegetable areas near Larache. In the Doukkala, we visited a fruit tree experimental station farm of the Office Rural de Mise en Valeur Agricole in the Doukkala (ORMVAD) where figs, almonds, peaches. apricots, apples, pears, olives, avocado, quince, prunes, nectarine, citrus and vine grapes comprising two to three varieties of each were being grown for testing. We also visited the vegetable production diversity and wealth of the Oualidia region. Maghrebio could not take advantage of the opportunity and nothing was done. My relationship with IOIA is still a positive one. IOIA still wants to cooperate with Morocco for training and certifying some of its future organic inspectors in:
1. Agriculture, 2. Livestock, 3. Transformation and Processing and 4. Advanced Projects
In 2008, Both Mr. Salah Chengly, a well known professional agronomist, and I visited California and toured several fruit production experimental stations destined to organic farming as well as several organic farms. We had a chance to meet with agricultural experts at the University of California Davis Campus as well as with experts from the University of California Extension Service Programs. We became friends with many of these experts who are interested in assisting Morocco develop its organic agriculture. During Mr. Chengly’s visit we also visited with the people at CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) and they were willing to cooperate with Morocco. Both Mr. Chengly and I and Mr. Paul Vossen, the foremost International expert on organic olive oil at the university of California Davis Campus. Many experts from California have been working on a fruit tree agricultural modernization encompassing conventional, natural and organic productions in Morocco. 16 California of these experts have joined us and are willing to spend a period of 5 years working on this project in Morocco. The project is titles Farm To Market (FTM).
Two years ago, I organized a tour in California for Mr. Lahcen El Hajouji owner of the largest organic agricultural company in Morocco known as Produits Biologiques du Souss (PBS). We visited many farms and experimental stations. One farm which we did appreciate was a solar energy run citrus farm. Solar energy allows pumping of water from deep aquifers, irrigates large area of land, provides energy to the packing station to function and sells the excess energy to the Electrical Company.
I have had the chance to visit Mr. El Hajouji’s organic farms and packing station and I can assure you that his operation is second to none as far as organic agriculture is concerned whether in Morocco or somewhere else. I am proud of Mr. El Hajouji’s accomplishment and business savoir faire. I also had the opportunity to visit Mr. Boussetta’s organic operation. Both Mr. Lahajouji and Mr. Boussetta are successfully exporting their organic products to Europe and to England.
Lately a new robust and visionary organic association has been created in Morocco. It is known as l’Association Marocaine de la Filière des Productions Biologiques (AMABIO). AMABIO was created in 2010 to guarantee the Biological label in Morocco while assuring health, sustainable development and fair trade. Below are its objectives and mission in French:
AMABIO a pour objectifs de:
• Constituer une fédération des acteurs de l’agriculture Biologique au Maroc
• Oeuvrer pour le développement et la promotion des productions biologiques à l’échelle nationale.
• Organiser et structurer la filière ;
• Normaliser les activités de production biologique ;
• Elaborer un programme de recherche /développement et de formation ;
• Renforcer les actions de communication et de promotion des produits biologiques au niveau national et international ;
• Contribuer à l’élaboration d’un système d’information et de veille technologique et réglementaire ;
• Défendre les intérêts de ses adhérents au niveau de tous les maillons de la filière;
• Renforcer la politique de Protection de l’Environnement dans
le cadre du développement durable.
The leadership of AMABIO is made up of professionals who have proven their productive capabilities in the field of Agriculture conventional, natural and organic.
I will be visiting Morocco very soon and I am going to hand carry a letter from CCOF and letter from IOIA as well as the FTM proposal to the Moroccan parties who are concerned. One thing I learned in my life about doing good deeds: one must persevere until the right timing and the right people come forward to the plate. For the positive expansion of Morocco’s organic agriculture, I believe that AMABIO is the organization that will make it happen and will cooperate with CCOF and IOIA. This leadership will make sure that the small farmers will also benefit from the fall out benefits of organic agriculture. The FTM project will be given to the right people.
http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/120-mostafa-chtaini-/5397-the-status-of-organic-agriculture-in-morocco
