Sabri: The Agricultural Labor Crisis is a Structural Issue, and the Solution Lies in Collective Governance
Hicham Sabri, the Secretary of State responsible for labor, stressed that the labor shortage in the agricultural sector in Morocco is a structural problem that directly affects the sustainability of this vital sector. He emphasized that addressing this issue requires adopting participatory collective governance.
This statement was made during a study meeting organized by the Secretary of State for Labor in partnership with the Moroccan Association for Human Resource Development in the agricultural and food industries, along with various stakeholders in the agricultural field, including the inter-professional federation “Comader.” The meeting focused on discussing the challenges of labor shortages and ways to ensure stability for workers in agriculture, under the slogan “Future Agriculture… Humanity, the Main Driver of Tomorrow’s Horticulture.”
Sabri explained that the agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in employment, but the current issue is less about the scarcity of labor and more about recruitment imbalances and difficult working conditions that limit the attractiveness of agricultural professions. He noted that the absence of competition also impacts the dynamism of the sector.
The government official stressed the necessity of addressing human resource issues in agriculture with a holistic vision that involves the government, labor unions, and various national and international partners. He affirmed that respecting the labor code is a legal obligation that cannot be overlooked, while also emphasizing the need to adapt certain legal texts to the specificities of the sector, especially regarding working hours, wages, and payment mechanisms.
In this context, Sabri pointed to the increasing presence of investors and workers from Sub-Saharan African countries in the agricultural sector, highlighting their choice to settle in Morocco amid the kingdom’s ongoing development dynamism, which requires simplifying administrative procedures and appropriately integrating them.
The Secretary of State confirmed that public policies must ensure that work in the horticulture sector complies with social standards, prioritizing training, skills recognition, and expressing the commitment of the Secretary of State to translate the recommendations from this meeting into actionable public policies as part of a social dialogue that considers the expectations of union partners.
In a press statement, Sabri clarified that this meeting aims to launch a strategy placing the worker at the center of the production process, highlighting the importance of benefiting from successful international experiences, such as that of Mexico, which has managed to overcome similar issues in recent years.
He added that work would begin next week on preparing a roadmap to be submitted to the government, aiming to address the sector’s challenges, particularly regarding attracting labor. He affirmed that improving working conditions, including decent housing, transportation, and job stability, is essential for attracting workers.
He also revealed plans for a work rotation system that could ensure job sustainability for up to ten months a year, considering that the meeting served as an opportunity to clarify the mechanisms for implementing these solutions in a scientific and practical manner.
For his part, the president of the Moroccan Association for Human Resource Development in the agricultural and food sectors, Othmane Al-Qasimi, stated that labor poses the biggest challenge for the future of the horticulture sector, pointing out that agricultural enterprises are facing increasing difficulties in hiring and retaining workers and underscoring that the solution can only be collective.
Similarly, Abdel Rahman Kandila, a member of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council, noted that the council conducted several studies related to the realities of agriculture, focusing on improving working conditions, especially in training and education.
Meanwhile, Samira Raïs, a member of the National Secretariat of the Moroccan Labor Union, stated that any national strategy for horticulture lacking a social dimension is bound to fail, calling for the establishment of an effective social dialogue to address the issues related to agricultural labor.
