By Faridat Salifu
Morocco is using the 62nd edition of the Salon International de l’Agriculture in Paris to reposition rural women farmers as key drivers of its agricultural export economy.
More than 740 small-scale farmers are being represented at the exhibition through 30 producer groups and 46 cooperatives, with women making up 61 percent of participants — most drawn from rural communities traditionally excluded from global value chains.
Rather than focusing only on product display, Morocco’s presence is structured around market access, export readiness, and visibility for community-based producers seeking entry into international trade networks.
The Moroccan pavilion, themed “Morocco, Centuries of Flavours,” is presenting high-value agricultural products including argan oil, Taliouine saffron, Medjool dates, olive oil, carob, spices, and aromatic and medicinal plants, positioning them as premium export commodities rather than local specialties.
Officials say the strategy reflects a shift from subsistence-focused farming toward structured commercial production driven by cooperatives and rural enterprises.
The initiative also places women-led cooperatives at the center of Morocco’s agricultural diplomacy, using the global platform to link them directly with buyers, distributors, and international markets.
This export-focused approach aligns with the national Generation Green 2020–2030 programme, which targets the creation of a new agricultural middle class, improved rural incomes, and stronger international competitiveness for Moroccan products.
On the diplomatic front, the exhibition is also serving as a platform for economic cooperation, with Morocco’s agricultural leadership engaging French counterparts on joint agricultural development, training, water management, and sanitary standards.
Beyond diplomacy and trade, Morocco’s participation signals a broader policy direction that treats rural women farmers not as beneficiaries of development programmes, but as economic actors within global agricultural markets.
The Paris agriculture show remains one of the world’s most influential agricultural gatherings, bringing together policymakers, producers, researchers, agribusiness leaders, and consumers, with over 600,000 visitors recorded at the 2025 edition.
