‘Forests of Morocco’ Strategy Presented to FAO

Rome – The “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030” strategy was presented Friday at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome during the preparatory meeting of the 25th Conference of the Committee on Forestry of the African Regional Group, in the presence of the organization’s Assistant Director General, Hiroto Mitsugi.

Speaking at the meeting, Youssef Balla, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN Agencies in Rome, highlighted the main aspects of the “Forests of Morocco” strategy, stressing that it is based on a model of integrated, sustainable and wealth-generating management aimed at making forests a space for sustainable development.

This strategy, said Balla, aims, by 2030, the repopulation of 133,000 ha of forests, the creation of 27,500 further direct jobs, in addition to improving income from production sectors and eco-tourism to reach an annual market value of 5 million dollars.

To this end, the ambassador stated that the new strategy will focus on four main areas, namely the creation of a new model based on a participatory approach, the promotion and modernization of forestry professions, the introduction of digital tools in the management of the sector, and the institutional reform of the sector through the qualification of human resources.

Balla also reiterated that Morocco shares its strategy with the FAO for the benefit of Africa in a perspective of complementary exchanges and interaction, in order to provide this vital sector with all the necessary tools to enable it to play its central role in sustainable agricultural development.