Ouarzazate hosts the 1st International Congress of Oases and Date Palms
Participants in a round table, organized on the sidelines of the 1st International Congress of Oases and the Date Palm which is being held in Ouarzazate, focused on Monday on the means to accelerate the implementation of the objectives set by the “Oasis” initiative. Sustainable”.
Chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, this round table aims to prepare a ministerial meeting scheduled for early October 2023 on the subject of the implementation of the objectives set by the “Sustainable Oases” initiative, launched by Morocco in coordination with all partners during the Conference of the Parties on Climate (COP22) held in Marrakech in November 2016. This meeting, placed under the theme “Sustainable Oases Initiative ”, was marked in particular by the participation of experts, researchers, as well as representatives of countries and stakeholders involved in the preservation of oases. At the opening of this round table, Mr. Sadiki returned to the importance of oases as a unique ecological system and space with a distinct natural, cultural and urban heritage, sheltering specific agricultural products.
The minister insisted, in this regard, on the need to increase efforts in scientific and technical research aimed at finding more effective preventive measures and solutions, which will allow oases to adapt to challenges and overcome obstacles. which hamper their sustainability. “It has become important to adopt a collaborative approach and exchange of experiences between all stakeholders, as part of a global and multidimensional approach to guarantee the sustainability of oases and enable them to fulfill their roles on the plans. environmental, cultural, social and economic,” he stressed.
The official recalled that Morocco attaches particular importance to the development of oases through the two agricultural strategies “Plan Maroc Vert” and “Génération Green” which have enabled the implementation of projects, development programs and structural measures for development and sustainability of these vulnerable territories. The date palm sector covering an area of more than 60,000 hectares has seen the planting of more than three million plants, the strengthening of hydro-agricultural infrastructure and the creation of several date storage and packaging units at different oases. , he detailed. According to the minister, these plantations will be extended by five million plants, in addition to the development of traditional oases so that they resist constant constraints and pressures.
During this round table, participants noted that oases are facing a real threat which can disrupt the balance of these ecological systems, in particular due to the effects of climate change and strong human pressure.
With the scarcity of natural resources and the acceleration of urban expansion, negative consequences are manifesting themselves on the continuity and sustainability of oases, exposing them to the risk of disappearance and favoring the phenomenon of desertification, they warned, emphasizing the importance of increasing efforts for effective implementation of the objectives of the “Sustainable Oases” initiative.
The initiative sets three main objectives, namely to recognize the unique characteristics of the oasis agricultural ecological system and its inherent weaknesses, to implement coordinated efforts to protect the heritage of oases, including their biodiversity, ecosystems and communities human rights and promote sustainable development in oases.
Since its launch by the Kingdom, this initiative has been at the heart of numerous events organized at local and international levels including the second edition of the “Climate Chance 2017” Summit, the International Agricultural Show in Morocco in 2017 and then the 27th Conference of parties held in Sharm El-Sheikh in November 2022.
The 1st edition of the International Congress of Oases and the Date Palm opened on Monday in Ouarzazate, under the theme “Together for the sustainability and resilience of the oasis ecosystem”.
Placed under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, this major event brings together national and international experts, professionals and researchers to discuss the challenges and opportunities linked to the sustainable development of oasis spaces and to address the complexity of the problem. development in the oases. This international congress, whose opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Sadiki, aims to develop an approach of openness and exchange of experiences between all parties concerned by the oasis spaces of various countries.
aujoud'hui.ma --31 mai 2023 --
Comments