The National Forum on Decarbonisation of Food Industries, held Monday in Rabat by the National Federation of Agri-Food (FENAGRI), marks a key milestone in building a low-carbon pathway for a sector vital to Morocco’s economy.

Organised under the patronage of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, the forum gathered key public, private, financial, technical and institutional players committed to the sustainable transformation of Morocco’s food industries.

This event represents an important step in the momentum initiated by FENAGRI to support the low-carbon transition of Moroccan food industries, against a backdrop of rising energy costs, growing pressure on water resources, evolving international market requirements and the gradual integration of climate criteria into supply chains.

The food industry plays a strategic role in the national economy. The sector generates nearly MAD 191 billion in annual revenue, encompasses approximately 2,600 companies operating across the country, provides more than 206,000 direct jobs, contributes MAD 44 billion to exports and covers roughly 77% of domestic demand for processed food products.

This economic contribution comes with a significant energy challenge. Food industries consume about 380,000 tonnes of oil equivalent per year, representing nearly 20% of national industrial energy use. These figures underscore both the sector’s strategic weight and the importance of a gradual, structured decarbonisation pathway tailored to the realities of different sub-sectors.

In this context, FENAGRI has launched, with support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, a national study to structure a decarbonisation roadmap for food industries by 2040.

The initiative aims to identify main emission sources, assess reduction levers, define possible transition trajectories and propose operational implementation conditions.

The forum shared key findings from this effort and opened a structured dialogue with the entire ecosystem. Discussions highlighted a strong consensus: decarbonisation of food industries should not be viewed solely as a regulatory or environmental constraint, but as a driver of economic competitiveness, industrial modernisation, energy performance, market access and resilience for Moroccan companies.

“Decarbonisation of food industries is no longer a topic for tomorrow. It is a project for today — one that directly concerns our companies’ competitiveness, energy performance, market access, investment capacity and resilience in the face of new climate and economic requirements,” said Abdelmounim El Eulj, President of FENAGRI, during the event.

Discussions also emphasised the need for coordinated mobilisation among public authorities, industrialists, financial institutions, international partners, technical experts and professional federations.

Success will depend on structuring appropriate support mechanisms, facilitating access to green finance, strengthening companies’ technical expertise and promoting an integrated approach that ensures greater coherence between industrial, energy, environmental and water policies.

Special attention was paid to very small, small and medium-sized industrial enterprises (VSEs/SMEs), which form an essential part of the national productive fabric. Supporting them will be crucial to ensuring an inclusive, gradual and truly operational transition.

The exchanges highlighted the need for accessible solutions, tailored diagnostics, bankable projects and financing mechanisms capable of meeting the realities of different food sub-sectors.

At the close of the forum, FENAGRI reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining this momentum. Next steps include establishing 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.