Morocco Calls for the Establishment of an International Fund to Enhance Food Security in Africa
Morocco called on Monday in Addis Ababa for the creation of an international fund dedicated to food security in Africa, aiming to bolster the continent’s food sovereignty and address the climatic and demographic challenges threatening food stability.
This appeal was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Ahmed Bouari, during his participation in the second assessment of the United Nations Food Systems Summit. He emphasized that the fund would serve as a key mechanism to unlock the agricultural potential of the continent and ensure sustainable food security.
In his speech, the minister reaffirmed Morocco’s strong commitment to sustainable food security, referencing the 2030 and 2063 agendas and the multilateral initiatives aimed at achieving more equitable, sustainable, and resilient food systems.
Bouari highlighted that global transformations, including pressure on natural resources, biodiversity loss, and climate change, necessitate systematic responses based on inclusive governance, ecological agriculture, social justice, and responsible financing.
The government official called for valuing local knowledge, encouraging innovation, and ensuring access for all to healthy food, recalling Morocco’s “Green Generation 2020-2030” strategy, which promotes sustainable agriculture and enhances water resource resilience through desalination and efficient irrigation, along with adopting a national roadmap for transforming food systems.
The minister stressed that the transformation of food systems must exceed national approaches to become a collaborative effort, affirming Morocco’s active engagement in regional and multilateral frameworks in Africa to support the sharing of experiences, mobilizing funding, and building collective solutions.
Bouari referred to the royal vision supporting South-South cooperation through initiatives such as the “African Agriculture Adaptation Initiative” and the “Sustainability, Stability, and Security Initiative in Africa,” aimed at supporting African agriculture and enhancing its resilience to challenges.
This event represents a pivotal moment for assessing international and national efforts in transforming food systems, convening just five years before the deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and seeking to mobilize investments and accelerate progress.
The evaluation builds on the dynamics triggered by the 2021 summit, which affirmed that food systems represent a key lever for implementing the development agenda. However, geopolitical crises, conflicts, and the climate crisis have slowed progress. This second evaluation seeks to strengthen previous commitments and accelerate practical solutions by analyzing successes and challenges and better adapting solutions.
