UM6P, ILO launch program to decarbonize agriculture

Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) have launched a joint program aiming to decarbonize agriculture and agribusiness.

Initiated by UM6P’s AgriEdge, an agricultural service platform, and ILO’s ProAgro, an agriculture jobs-focused initiative, the collaborative program aims to facilitate the transition to climate-friendly agriculture in Morocco.

The program focuses on three main axes: information and training, innovation, and research and development. The program’s activities will include the sharing of an audio web series, the launch of an e-learning platform, and the organization of a series of training events.

Theme

The “innovation” theme will be supported by the AgriEdge initiative “Farming Innovation Program,” which promotes the creation of AgriTech startups through encouraging entrepreneurship. Additionally, the program will see the creation of the first Moroccan digital platform entirely dedicated to agriculture and agro-industry, under the “innovation and development axis.” The platform will measure and simulate the carbon footprint and carbon sequestration by agricultural soil.

In the research and development department, the program will focus on the organization of a scientific conference with attendance from Moroccan as well as foreign experts and researchers. The main goal of these activities is to improve the skills of individuals and the competitiveness of the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors to encourage a clean transition for the industry.

The collaborative initiative is supported by national and international partners such as the National Federation of Agribusiness (FENAGRI), the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), and the German government’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.