Innovation: The Agritech4Morocco Innovation Challenge is Underway

The “Generation Green 2020-2030” strategy, which aims to bring about a change in the way Morocco views its agricultural development, has been updated. The World Bank, the CGIAR Accelerate for impact platform, and Impact Lab announced earlier this week, through a webinar, the launch of the first-ever AgriTech4Morocco innovation challenge.

The initiative, which is supported by the Digital Development Partnership, administered by the World Bank Group, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests (MAPMDREF) and its Digital Agriculture Cluster (PAD), aims to identify, select and accelerate solutions capable of addressing the most pressing challenges of the Moroccan agri-food sector.

Read more on the subject and find the latest economic news from around the world with the Born2Invest mobile app.

First call for innovative projects of “Generation Green”

Speaking on this occasion, Rémi Trier, the World Bank’s Senior Agriculture Specialist, said that “the opportunities offered by digital technologies allow agri-food systems to modernize the entire value chain by directing production towards precision agriculture, meeting the imperatives of increasing productivity as well as the challenges posed by climate change; by promoting the creation of new and quality jobs upstream and downstream of primary production; and by adding value to production through better marketing, better quality control, better traceability, etc.

For the World Bank, this call for projects is a key complementary activity to the overall agricultural sector support program, in particular to the two results-based loan programs implemented with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Majid Lahlou, from the Information Systems Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, noted that “the launch of the AgriTech4Morocco Innovation Challenge demonstrates the World Bank’s commitment to support the implementation of the new Green Generation 2020-2030 strategy, and in particular the objective of creating a new generation of young entrepreneurs in rural areas and providing digital e-services for 2 million connected farmers by 2030.

While Gianpiero Menza, Head of Partnership and Innovative Finance at CGIAR, noted that “nowadays there is an emerging class of enthusiastic young entrepreneurs who are reframing the sector with futuristic, highly technological and sophisticated solutions that we aim to identify and support through scientific, financial and market access”.

The 10 finalists will be awarded in July

In short, the “AgriTech4Morocco Innovation Challenge” call for projects officially started earlier this week. Interested applicants must submit their projects online, the only option offered, via the portal dedicated to the call for projects www.agritech4moroccoinnovationchallenge.ma, by Sunday, May 1st, 2022. One month later, in the first week of June, the 20 teams that submitted the most promising innovations will be invited to participate in the bootcamp.

With the support of CGIAR and IMPACT Lab experts, the project leaders will benefit from a three-day training session designed to develop their entrepreneurial skills through conferences, mentoring sessions, and masterclasses. Then, the candidates will present their solutions in front of a jury of industry experts who will select the 10 finalists who will be admitted to the next phase.

This includes a ten-week acceleration program, during which CGIAR and IMPACT Lab experts will help the selected candidates structure their projects, network with industry experts and advisors, and guide them in their fundraising efforts for the next steps in bringing their project to fruition.

Finally, the Demo Day will conclude the acceleration program in July 2022. On this occasion, the 10 finalists will present their solutions in front of a panel of investors and potential customers.

__

(Featured image by DJI-Agras via Pixabay)

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.

First published in Les Eco.ma, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.