Euro-Maghreban agriculture chambers meet in Rabat

Euro-Maghreban chambers of agriculture and similar professional institutions opened in Rabat Monday their second session under the theme "fostering partnership and Euro-Maghreban cooperation."

The two-day meeting aims at consolidating ties between Maghreban Professional agricultural organizations, and improving trading of expertise with their European peers.

The meeting is part of efforts made by Maghreban countries, in coordination with European states, to foster partnership and improve the role of agricultural professional organizations, Moroccan minister in charge of water and forests, Hassan Maaouni, said at the opening session.

Morocco is granting a special interest to agricultural professional organizations, and secures them the adequate climate on the legislative and juridical level.

Such efforts helped boost the setting up of agricultural professional organizations and related services, he said. Morocco now boasts over 2,700 cooperatives, 700 associations and 37 chambers of agriculture.

The session is attended by Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, the European Union countries and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The first session of the Euro-Maghreban chambers of agriculture was held in January 2000 in Tunisia.