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SESSIONS DE FORMATION AU MAROC LIVING LABS

December 8th and 9th, 2025 | MOROCCO LIVING LABS

Within the framework of the NATAE project, the National School of Agriculture in Meknès (ENAM) in collaboration with ICARDA and the Atlas Association for Agroecology conducted an intensive training program for 20 participants from both the Skoura M’Daz and Aït Othmane Living Labs on December 8th and 9th, 2025. The program was designed as a progressive journey, beginning with comprehensive theoretical sessions to establish core agroecological concepts before transitioning into practical, field-based applications.

 

The program featured four specialized training sessions:

- Training 1: Introduction to Agroecology: practices for soil, water, and biodiversity
preservation.
- Training 2: Organic Fertilization and Composting: Transforming crop debris into fertilizers.
- Training 3: Marketing and Commercialization of Agroecological Products.
- Training 4: Techniques for Plant Multiplication Under Greenhouses.

On December 8, 2025, at the Jenan Lalla Yamna demonstration farm selected as an in-situ platform to immerse participants in a sustainable ecosystem the program opened with two 3-hour sessions.

Pr. Ghizlane Echchgadda, a professor-researcher at ENA Meknès and leader of the Skoura Living Lab, and M. Abdelaziz Ngadi, an agronomic engineer and manager of the host farm, led the first session on Introduction to agroecology, focusing on soil fertility restoration, water conservation, and biodiversity. This was followed by a 3-hour training on Organic Fertilization and Composting conducted by M.Ngadi, which provided hands-on techniques for transforming crop debris into natural fertilizers. The day concluded with a field visit to the farm, allowing farmers to observe practical applications of various agroecological practices such as crop association and biomass recycling.

On December 9, 2025,the program moved to the National School of Agriculture in Meknès for a 2-hour session on the Marketing and Commercialization of Agroecological Products. During this session, Pr. Hajib El Kasmi from the rural economy department utilized the “Mix Marketing” (4 Ps) framework to teach participants how to transform the quality of agroecological harvests into a clear competitive advantage. The training focused on optimizing the product, choosing strategic distribution channels like direct farm sales, and using promotion tools such as social media platforms and word-of-mouth to reach clients.

Additionally, farmers were equipped with strategies for pricing and understanding labels (Bio, SPG) to ensure the economic viability and long-term sustainability of their farms. The training program concluded with a 3-hour practical session on Plant Multiplication under Greenhouses held at the application nursery, where manager M. Mounaim taught essential techniques for vegetative multiplication and nursery climate management.

By bridging the gap between theory and practice, this multi-stakeholder initiative significantly
strengthens the technical and organizational resilience of rural communities facing climate and socioeconomic challenges.