The National Forum on Decarbonation of Food Industries, held Monday in Rabat by the National Federation of Agri-Food (FENAGRI), marks a structuring milestone in building a low-carbon trajectory for a strategic sector of Morocco’s economy.
Organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, this forum brought together key public, private, financial, technical and institutional players committed to the sustainable transformation of Morocco’s food industries, according to FENAGRI.
This meeting represents an important step in the momentum launched by FENAGRI to support the low-carbon transition of Moroccan food industries, in a context marked by rising energy costs, increasing pressure on water resources, evolving international market requirements, and the gradual integration of climate criteria into value chains.
The food industry holds a strategic position in Morocco’s economy. The sector generates nearly 191 billion dirhams in annual turnover, includes around 2,600 companies operating across the country, provides over 206,000 direct jobs, contributes 44 billion dirhams to exports, and covers about 77% of national demand for processed food products.
This economic contribution comes with a major energy challenge. Food industries consume approximately 380,000 tonnes of oil equivalent per year, representing nearly 20% of national industrial energy use. These figures confirm both the sector’s strategic weight and the importance of a progressive, structured decarbonisation trajectory adapted to the realities of different sub-sectors.
In this context, FENAGRI, with support from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, has launched a national study to structure a decarbonisation roadmap for food industries by 2040. The initiative aims to identify main emission sources, evaluate reduction levers, define possible transition paths, and propose operational implementation conditions.
The forum provided an opportunity to share the main findings of this study and open a structured dialogue with the entire ecosystem. Discussions revealed a strong consensus: decarbonisation of food industries should not be seen solely as a regulatory or environmental constraint, but as a lever for economic competitiveness, industrial modernisation, energy performance, market access, and resilience for Moroccan companies.
“Decarbonisation of food industries is no longer a tomorrow issue. It is a project for today. A project that directly concerns the competitiveness of our companies, their energy performance, their market access, their investment capacity, and their resilience in the face of new climate and economic requirements,” said Abdelmounim El Eulj, President of FENAGRI.
The discussions also highlighted the need for coordinated mobilisation among public authorities, industrialists, financial institutions, international partners, technical experts, and professional federations. The success of this transition will depend notably on the ability to structure suitable support mechanisms, facilitate access to green finance, strengthen companies’ technical expertise, and promote an integrated approach ensuring greater coherence between industrial, energy, environmental, and water policies.
Special attention was given to very small, small and medium-sized industrial enterprises (VSEs/SMEs), which are a vital component of the national productive fabric. Supporting them will be crucial to guarantee an inclusive, progressive and truly operational transition. The exchanges emphasised the need for accessible solutions, tailored diagnostics, bankable projects, and financing mechanisms capable of meeting the realities of the various food sub-sectors.
At the conclusion of the forum, FENAGRI reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining this dynamic over the long term. Upcoming steps will include setting up a monitoring framework for the roadmap, organising sub-sector workshops, strengthening dialogue with financial and technical partners, and supporting member companies in defining and implementing their own decarbonisation trajectories.