The discussions took place in Rabat last week during a visit by a delegation from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) to Morocco’s National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA). The meeting with INRA Director Lamia Goutti aimed to identify areas where the two institutions could combine their scientific and technical expertise.
The visit builds on exchanges between the institutions since 2024 and sought to identify new opportunities for cooperation in agricultural research and innovation.
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Ashley Randall, Massachusetts’ Commissioner of Agricultural Resources, told Morocco’s state news agency MAP that the delegation wanted to learn more about INRA’s research priorities and identify potential areas of collaboration with NASDA, which represents agriculture departments in all 50 US states and four territories.
She said the talks focused on shared priorities, including climate change, resilience, conservation agriculture, soil health and animal genetics. These discussions could help identify ways to support the agricultural economies of both countries, she added.
Goutti highlighted two priority areas: conservation agriculture and gene editing, which she described as a way to accelerate the development of new crop varieties.
She stressed the need to develop techniques that encourage farmers to adopt conservation agriculture, while exploring how gene-editing technologies could speed up the development of crop varieties suited to Morocco’s agricultural needs.
The discussions also covered cattle breeding, with the aim of identifying opportunities to develop breeds adapted to Moroccan conditions. Particular attention was given to local breeds and their ability to withstand environmental pressures and adapt to changing conditions.
Moroccan-American agricultural cooperation already includes research and capacity-building initiatives supported notably by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of Agriculture. The work covers crop improvement, biotechnology, sustainable water and soil management, and climate change adaptation.
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Scientific exchange programs are another component of the partnership, notably through the Fulbright and Borlaug programs. A total of 25 INRA researchers have benefited from capacity-building opportunities under these programs. Six of them completed research stays at six American universities over the past two years, working on topics considered strategic for the agricultural sector.
Stronger ties with NASDA are expected to facilitate the exchange of expertise and establish links with agricultural departments across US states, universities and research centers. The goal is to develop joint projects addressing the two countries’ agricultural priorities and support a Moroccan farming sector that is more productive, resilient and sustainable.
