The second edition of the AgriTech Expo, which will take place next Monday in Sefrou, is a crossroads where technology, innovation, and agricultural entrepreneurship meet, the organizers stated.
During a press conference held Tuesday at the headquarters of the Regional Investment Center (CRI) of Fès-Meknès regarding this exhibition, themed “Water Technologies and Resilient Crops: A Perspective from Our Youth,” the importance of this Agri-business event, “essential for technological innovation and the development of resilient sectors,” was emphasized.
Speaking on this occasion, Amine Zarouk, president of the “Green OpenLab” Foundation, the organizer of the fair, indicated that the goal of this event is to connect talents, researchers, and entrepreneurs with concrete solutions that will sustainably transform Moroccan agriculture.
After highlighting the difficulties faced regarding farmers’ adoption of new technologies and the cautious openness of technology professionals to the sector, Mr. Zarouk emphasized that AgriTech aims to be a showcase and a space for promoting these advancements in the service of sustainable agriculture.
“We have a major challenge regarding the interconnection between these two worlds on one side, and the influence of the region on the other,” he explained.
For his part, the director of the Economic Impulse and Territorial Offer Pole at CRI Fès-Meknès, Amjad Kiti, highlighted the relevance of this edition’s theme, which addresses water, technology, and youth, recalling that the region, the second largest water reservoir in the country, is engaged in a series of projects related to water resource preservation, including the safeguarding of the Saiss plain, the construction of dams, and programs dedicated to AgriTech.
The CRI supports initiatives that promote sustainable economic development and agriculture connected to market realities, Mr. Kiti stated, emphasizing that the AgriTech Expo represents a unique opportunity to position the Fès-Meknès region as a hub for agricultural innovation.
For her part, Salma Takky, coordinator of the AnMoun project at CBI, emphasized that this project has placed innovation and the inclusion of youth at the heart of its strategy to energize the olive oil sector through the Anmoun project, launched over a year ago in the Fès-Meknès region with the goal of modernizing the olive oil value chain as a promising and resilient sector.
“Thanks to AnMoun, we co-create with our partners an ecosystem conducive to the growth of SMEs and the emergence of new young agricultural talents,” she said.
According to the organizers, this exhibition, which benefits from the support of several Moroccan and foreign partners, including the Dutch Center for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), the regional council of Fès-Meknès, and the National School of Agriculture of Meknès, is establishing itself as a strategic event for building the agriculture of the future in Morocco.
The 2025 edition, which will be dedicated to exchanges, reflection, and demonstrations, will crown a series of interactive workshops bringing together young talents, experts, and stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
These workshops, which will be organized the day before the official opening of the event, will allow for the confrontation of ideas, sharing of best practices, and formulation of concrete recommendations for the future of agriculture in Morocco.
These collective reflections will be compiled into a White Paper, which will be submitted to government bodies and stakeholders in the sector. This reference document aims to inspire future agricultural policies and promote the adoption of innovative and sustainable solutions.
On the agenda for this edition are thematic workshops on water management, smart agriculture, and climate challenges, meetings with national and international experts, fostering dialogue and experience sharing, in addition to the presentation of this White Paper, consolidating the proposals arising from the discussions and workshops.
The day will also include demonstrations of innovative agricultural technologies, illustrating concrete solutions to optimize agricultural practices.