Moroccan experts work in African countries part of SPFS program (official)

Five Moroccan engineers and 34 technicians currently work in Burkina Faso and Niger part of the FAO's Special Program for Food Security (SPFS), director of vegetable production in the agriculture and rural development ministry, Moha Margui, said on Wednesday.

In a presentation made during a national conference on the New Partnership for Africa's Development NEPAD held in Rabat by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in collaboration with the UN organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO), Marghi said the experience that is in its 4th year in Burkina Faso and second year in Niger was so fruitful that the two African countries requested an increase in the Moroccan assistance teams.

These teams work in water control, land development, sustainable vegetable production, diversification of small breeding projects, apiculture and agro-forestry.

"Moroccan assistance has brought simple and practical technologies that helped improve productivity," said the Moroccan official, adding that as a result of the success of this experience, other African countries are planning to use Moroccan cooperation, particularly Mauritania, Chad, Guinea, Cameroon and Gambia. The Republic of Central Africa and Djibouti have already made an official request for Morocco's assistance, he added.

Burkina Faso, where 3 engineers and 26 technicians currently work asked Morocco to provide it with another team of 28 technicians and one engineer, whereas Niger where 2 engineers and 8 technicians operate requested a reinforcement of 5 engineers and 20 technicians, explained Margui.

The success of South-South cooperation between Morocco and the two African countries is in line with NEPAD's main objective to encourage mutual assistance between African countries through the exchange of experts.

During the World Food Summit held in Rome in June 2002, the technical assistance extended by Morocco to Burkina Faso and by Vietnam to Senegal was cited by FAO as two successful experiences, recalled Marghi.