Morocco will host the 5th All Africa Horticulture Congress in February 2024

Marrakechone

Morocco will host the 5th All Africa Horticulture Congress in February 2024 

By Houmi AHAMED-MIKIDACHE 

Morocco will host the 5th All Africa Horticulture Congress (AAHC) in Marrakech from 26 February to 1 March 2024. With the theme “ Unlocking the potential of a resilient Horticulture”, the fifth AAHC aims to discuss and promote the potential of African Horticulture. Next year, professionals of horticulture, researchers, young scientists, and entrepreneurs will have the possibility to share their reserarch results, experiences and latest innovations. This Congress is being portrayed as an opportunity to consolidate and expand a network of technical cooperation between professionals of horticulture throughout Africa and the rest of the World. 

Facing climate change

5th All Africa Horticulture Congress
5th All Africa Horticulture Congress ( Credit Photo: AAHC website)

The organizers of the event held this time in Northern Africa, Morroco, take into account that in  recent years, the horticultural sector in Africa has been facing several constraints and worldwide challenges, such as climate change, especially low precipitations and water shortage for irrigation, heat stress and scarcity of investment and funding of new development projects,  outbreaks of new pests and diseases, pandemics such as Covid-19. 

Juice Sellers in Marrakech- Credit Photo: Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache

In Morocco, the organizers note, Agriculture contributes, on average, 13% to Morocco’s GDP and employs about 40% of the nation’s workforce. The country has several agroclimatic regions including Mediterranean in the North, semi-arid in the Middle and arid-to-desert in the South with somewhat mild/cold in the higher altitudes and, thus, produces a great diversity of agricultural products including horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, medicinal and aromatic species, flowers, and ornamental plants. Production is mostly in open field but crops such as tomatoes, pepper, berries, banana, and flowers are also produced under plastic-covered greenhouses. Most of the production is for the domestic market but a significant percentage, particularly fruits, vegetables and flowers go to export markets including Africa, Europe, and North America. Operators of the sector are all private.  Many small-scale growers are organized in cooperatives and associations to ease their production, marketing and export.

A spice seller in Marrakech- Photo Credit: Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache

Developing Horticulture in Africa is, according to the organizing committee, one of the main tools that can help ensure food security by increasing agricultural productivity and improve the competitiveness of its products. It can also strengthen its contribution to the overall wellbeing of the population, improve dietary and nutritional behavior, create wealth, alleviate hunger, and reduce dependency on food imports.  One reason for the organization of such an event is the high contribution ot the African rural populations to agricultural production which in turn contributes to nutrition, food security and socio-economic development of these populations. 

Carriage tour in Marrakech- Photo Credit: Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache

Previously, the All-Africa Horticultural Congress  took place in Kenya in 2009 for Eastern Africa, South Africa in 2012 for Southern Africa and Senegal in 2020 for Western Africa. The All-Africa Horticultural Congress (AAHC) is  organized every four years in the fields of Horticulture in Africa under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) which is the largest global horticulture network comprising over 6,000 members. The International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) aims indeed to promote and foster research and education in horticultural science, support industry and to facilitate cooperation and knowledge transfer on a global scale through events and publications. 

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Eraenvironnement.com est un site internet français fondé en 2013 par Houmikouloussoumi ( Houmi) Ahamed à Paris. Il diffuse des articles spécialisés autour du journalisme de solutions. Les mots Era et Environnement sont deux mots anglais et français. Il signifient ère(  traduction du mot anglais era) et Environnement (mot français). Era Environnement représente une ambition globale  d'impulser une nouvelle approche de l'éducation environnementale à travers le journalisme. Anciennement situé à Paris, Era Environnement était une association de loi 1901 créée en 2016. Elle a été dissoute en 2017.  Le site internet publie régulièrement  des analyses sur les actions de coopération sud-sud ainsi que les relations nord-sud. Il traite des  informations sud-nord liées à l'environnement. Il traite du changement climatique et des questions de développement durable. Fin 2018, Houmi Ahamed s'installe aux Comores, dans l'Océan Indien. S'inscrivant dans sa démarche de journalisme de solutions et d'éducation environnementale, elle dirige en 2019 Era Environnement SARL, une entreprise créée en 2018 dans l'archipel des Comores. Era Environnement SARL mène au mois de novembre 2019 un projet significatif dans petit état insulaire, marquée par de nombreuses crises politiques. Cette initiative innovante vise à former dix jeunes femmes issues de zones rurales et côtières . Le cœur du projet est de mettre en lumière des solutions concrètes face au changement climatique en valorisant les savoirs traditionnels comoriens. Un accent particulier est mis alors sur le village natal des parents de Houmi Ahamed, soulignant l'importance d'une approche communautaire et enracinée dans la culture locale pour l'éducation environnementale.  Ce projet se concrétise par la création d'une radio en ligne, radio Era Environnement. Avec le soutien de l'UNESCO, cette initiative illustre l'engagement d'Era Environnement pour des actions pratiques et basées sur l'implication des communautés dans la compréhension des enjeux environnementaux. Aujourd'hui, l'entreprise ERA ENVIRONNEMENT SARL n'existe plus aux Comores. Elle est en phase de restructuration en France. Son objectif actuel  est de mettre en œuvre de nouveaux projets qui intègrent spécifiquement la jeunesse, soulignant ainsi davantage son engagement envers les générations futures et le développement durable.

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