PROJECT SUMMARY
Morocco’s olive oil industry is becoming more competitive globally with better quality products helping to increase incomes for farmers and producers.
Context
The EBRD and FAO are helping to develop the olive oil sector in Morocco by improving quality and efficiency along the value chain, developing local markets, and raising the international profile of its olive oil. Morocco, as part of its strategic plan to intensify and modernize agricultural production – ‘Maroc Vert’ –has identified the olive oil industry as one with good potential to contribute to economic growth. New investments mean that the development of its production and processing capacity is already underway while it turns its attention to stepping up product quality and improving value chain efficiency.
These efforts will help the country to diversify and expand its export markets, tapping into increasing consumer demand for healthy foods and leveraging its green credentials – olive production is low on GHG emissions and requires relatively little water.
Activities
Develop the capacity of Moroccan olive oil stakeholders by addressing key knowledge gaps and increasing efficiency along the value chain.
Promote Moroccan olive oil including export markets.
Support greater private sector participation to increase capacity to access export markets and finance.
Achievements
- Training and capacity-building with key olive oil industry players including Interprolive and the Ministry of Agricultureto improve quality and efficiency across the supply chain. Around 1 300 people, including SMEs, olive oil ‘groupements d’interet economique’ (cooperative-like structures), medium and large individual farmers and large companies, have taken part so far.
- An international seminar on Xylella fastidiosa– a bacterial plant disease – and the measures needed to maintain the health of olives groves.
- In terms of tree health, experts from Italy’s olive-growing Apulia region have delivered training to over 300 Moroccan farmers on good pruning practices that prevent disease and boost yields.
- An investment brief on olive oil consumption and commercializationto update current knowledge on consumption trends, provide information about the orientation of future market development and help channel public and private investment.
- Development of training materialsincluding a pruning manual, tasting booklet and a guide to production best practices.
- Promoting issues like the need for better quality certification, labeling and traceability systems and getting the word out to consumers and industry insiders alike on whygood quality olive oil matters.
- A workshop in the pipeline for public and private stakeholders to discuss the olive oil sector and production efficiency.
