Vietnam and Morocco join hands to build green agriculture

On July 25, as part of the official visit to the Kingdom of Morocco by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the high-level Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung held an important working session with Mr. Ahmed El Bouari, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, in the capital city of Rabat.

At the working session, both sides acknowledged the strong complementarity in their respective agricultural product structures. Vietnam has significant strengths in rice, coffee, tropical fruits, and seafood, while Morocco is well known for temperate crops such as citrus fruits, olives, and advanced water-saving irrigation technologies. This contrast in climate conditions and farming practices serves as a solid foundation for both countries to jointly explore potential areas of cooperation, enhance production capabilities, and expand market access.

Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung emphasized that the visit to Rabat represents not only an important milestone in bilateral relations but also a strategic opportunity for Vietnam to expand its agricultural cooperation and presence in North Africa and the African continent more broadly. In the context of globalization and climate change, the collaboration between two developing nations to share solutions and strengthen agricultural economic linkages is a sound and sustainable direction.

“Vietnam stands ready to share its experience in developing agriculture that is adaptive to climate change, applying digital transformation, and operating efficient small-scale farming models. These are valuable lessons that align closely with Morocco’s development needs and can serve as practical references for other African nations as well,” he stated.

To foster more practical and comprehensive agricultural cooperation, Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung proposed that Vietnam and Morocco focus on several key areas. These include the exchange and application of water-saving irrigation technologies, the development of crop and livestock varieties adapted to each country's specific ecological conditions, and the promotion of sustainable land management practices. He also emphasized the importance of advancing ecological agriculture as a shared goal in the context of climate change and increasing environmental challenges.

“Vietnam and Morocco should work together to organize more bilateral agricultural trade fairs and forums, creating platforms to exchange information, promote agricultural products, and enhance mutual understanding between producers and exporters. At the same time, it is crucial to foster stronger business-to-business connections to expand the export of each country’s key agricultural products, such as rice, coffee, and dragon fruit from Vietnam, and temperate fruits and canned fish from Morocco,” he said. “Vietnam is ready to provide technical assistance in areas such as plant quarantine, quality standards, and market access procedures, to help Moroccan agricultural products meet international requirements and enter new markets.”

Deputy Minister Hung also reiterated the importance of establishing a solid legal foundation for bilateral cooperation through the prompt signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Beyond bilateral efforts, he proposed that Vietnam and Morocco explore opportunities for trilateral cooperation within the framework of South–South cooperation. This could involve the joint implementation of regional projects or technical assistance programs, with support from international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the European Union, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and others.

Listening to Vietnam’s remarks, Minister Ahmed El Bouari expressed his appreciation for the solutions proposed, noting that they are well aligned with the conditions and needs of developing countries. “The increasingly strong and friendly relationship between Vietnam and Morocco is opening up broad opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest, particularly in agriculture,” he stated.

“We look forward to turning the cooperation proposals discussed by both sides into concrete, practical, and immediately actionable projects. This will allow us to leverage the strengths and potential of both countries fully,” he added.

Vietnam and Morocco agreed to maintain regular exchanges between their respective technical agencies, laying a solid foundation for sharing experience, technology, and agricultural policy. Both sides also committed to further strengthening business-to-business connections, to build a strategic agricultural partnership that contributes to sustainable development and food security in both countries.