Morocco prepares to demonstrate best practices adopted by its agrifood sector
Agrifood enterprise representatives met in Agadir on 4-6 June for an information and consultation session on adopting social and environmental standards and an awareness-raising workshop on responsible business conduct and decent work. The meetings are part of a joint EBRD/FAO/MOROCCO FOODEX initiative co-financed by the EU to help companies meet new quality, social, and environmental standards required across food value chains to compete in international markets.
Driving Morocco’s agrifood sector towards meeting sustainability standards
The shift towards more sustainable and responsible value chains represents an opportunity for first movers who can demonstrate compliance with new regulations and European Union Directives. Yet the increasingly stringent corporate social responsibility requirements such as human rights due diligence in value chains can be hard to navigate and require time to be implemented.
In Morocco, where agricultural and fishery food export products are key drivers of economic growth, filling these knowledge and capacity gaps means ensuring that all operators are given the means and the opportunity to adapt, whether small or large. MOROCCO FOODEX – a public body that serves the country’s agri-export sector – has been developing an initiative with this purpose, with the support of the FAO, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development Bank (EBRD), and the European Union.
Putting a label on voluntary sustainability standards
Morocco Foodex has been developing a concept brand that attests to the superior quality, and social and environmental sustainability of Moroccan exported products, meeting and anticipating the needs of international markets, European Union directives, and regulations. “A first round of consultations has been conducted on the draft brand’s principles,” explains Mr. El Mehdi Elalami, Promotion and Development Director at MOROCCO FOODEX. “These will guide the development of a voluntary label intended for use by Moroccan agrifood companies with packaging, processing, and/or manufacturing infrastructure for products intended for export.”
Getting to work on decent work
Preparation for the design and subsequent adoption of the new brand requires a level playing field in terms of knowledge of international norms and standards which has resulted in capacity-building events for MOROCCO FOODEX staff and Moroccan operators carried out through the initiative in partnership with the International Labour Organization’s International Training Center and the International Trade Centre, leveraging from the data and knowledge of the ITC Standards Map.
On 5 and 6 June, a 2-day training course grouped more than 40 participants of agrifood entreprises from different sectors and sizes who worked through a series of presentations and practical exercises, gaining a deeper knowledge of the role they can play in promoting responsible and sustainable business practices to achieve decent work standards. They also furthered their understanding of international labour standards, due diligence, and the role of audits, as well as existing and upcoming European Union Directives and legislations.
The course built on two previous ones for MOROCCO FOODEX managers, technicians, and auditors with a similar course held in Casablanca on 7 to 9 May with and a webinar on environmental auditing on 20 and 21 May with 32 participants. One participant said: “Social, environmental, and decent work dimensions are not included in our core business, which is quality control, so for us, this professional transformation is significant.” Another pointed to the importance of raising awareness with operators commenting that “Our role is to raise awareness, disclose information to operators and work hand in hand with them to succeed.”
Next steps – furthering the brand
The next stage is to further define the entry criteria and governance mechanisms of the brand through continued collaboration between MOROCCO FOODEX and operators. Once the brand is ready to be piloted and adopted by several first movers, MOROCCO FOODEX will organize a launch event. Further updates will follow.