Morocco Travel Report 05-11/03/2024

05/03/2024

Visit of the Slimania Research Station in Berkane Province

Location coordinates: 34.961117, -2.360464

Participants: Jörn Germer, Sebastian Heintze, Hicham Fatnassi, Ilham Abidi

Guided tour of the research station by Ilham and Hassan (Research Technician) with a visit of the possible site for preseason irrigation experiments for quinoa, the water supply, and nearby opuntia fields.

·        Potential site for experiments for preseason irrigation of quinoa

·        Weather station with Heliograph, windspeed, precipitation, evapotranspiration, Air and soil temperature

·        Two water sources: Canal (higher salinity) and Dam water

 

06/03/24

Visiting of Agropole Berkane

The aim of Agropole is to strengthen the competitiveness of companies in the agricultural and food industry and to create prosperity and employment in the region e.g. by providing facilities for packaging products for export. 

·        Guided tour through the facilities 

·        Laboratories, equipped for elemental analysis

·        Desalination units (containers)

·        Meeting with Yassine El Mahfoudi (Yassine.elmahfoudi@rriest.com) from IRRIEST

o   IRRIEST: Installation of photovoltaic and irrigation systems

o   Website of the National Electricity Regulatory Authority: anre.ma

§  Regulations, laws, hosting capacity for solar energy etc.

 

07/03/24

Visiting the École nationale d’agriculture (ENA) de Meknès

Participants: Jörn Germer, Sebastian Heintze, Hicham Fatnassi, Alain Janet, Cynthia Janet

Meeting Prof. Dr. Aziz Abouabdillah, inspection of research sites and discussion of our plans in Berkane. Support in the form of equipment and the opportunity for Bachelor's or Master's students to write their thesis.

 

08/03/24

Morning: Visiting ICARDA’s Marchouch research station
·        Research station for rainfed agriculture in dry areas

Guided tour by Mina Devkota Wasti from ICARDA, visiting of fields and water reservoirs.

Afternoon: Visiting the ICARDA in Rabat

·        Meeting with Dr. Michael Baum (Research team leader breeding, m.baum@cgiar.org) and Dr. Vinay Nangia (Research leader Soil, Water, Agronomy, v.nangia@cgiar.org)

·        Discussion of opuntia photovoltaic integration

·        Visit of the gene bank storing wheat, barley, chickpea, faba bean, lentil, and forage genetic material for breeding

 

11/03/2024

Morning: Visit of APEFEL (Association Marocaine Des Producteurs et Producteurs Exportateurs de Fruits et Légumes)

Location coordinates: 30.146920, -9.506555

Meeting with Dr. Charibi and tour on the site

·        Different types of greenhouses

·        Soilless tomato cultivation, purification and reuse of used nutrient solution.

·        Automated mixing and irrigation system

 

Afternoon: Centre Regional de la Recherche Agronomique d’Agadir

from Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)

Welcome and guided tour of the site by Dr. Rachid Bouharroud