Food self-sufficiency under the Green-Morocco Plan[L'Autosuffisance alimentaire dans le cadre du Plan Maroc Vert]

This paper seeks to know whether the Green-Morocco Plan (GMP), the new Moroccan agricultural strategy launched in 2008, improves food self-sufficiency. In view of the importance of cereals in Moroccans' diet, the volatility of foods price in the international market, the population increase and the competition that is not always fair, long-term availability and physical access of people to food should be ensured. Self-sufficiency, which is one of the indicators of food safety, must therefore become a priority again. GMP is so far showing some positive results. Morocco reduced the poverty rate. The Agricultural Gross Domestic Product improved as well as agricultural employment and agricultural export of some products. However, one of the policies adopted by GMP is the conversion of cereal farming to arboriculture. Under this policy, cereal imports increased, without being covered by an adequate food export increase. The Green-Morocco Plan makes Morocco increasingly dependent on the world market either to export its agricultural products or to import its needs for cereals. From an environmental point of view, fruits require more water than do cereals for their production. Therefore, we believe that grain crops must be encouraged to ensure food security. As for fruit trees cultivation, it should be encouraged on lands that are not suitable for cereals, such as mountains and rugged terrains.