The 18th International Agriculture Show (SIAM) will take place in Meknès this April, running for nine days instead of the usual seven. The event is held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI.
Farming is a big part of life in Morocco, making up about 1 in every 8 to 10 dirhams earned and providing jobs for almost half of all workers. This year’s focus is on keeping livestock farming sustainable and making sure the country has enough food. The sector has suffered from nearly ten years of drought, losing about 4 in every 10 cattle and sheep.
The government is spending 6.2 billion dirhams to help farmers. This includes vaccinating and treating 17 million animals and giving 400 dirhams to each female sheep or goat to protect around 8 million animals.
Portugal will be the guest of honour, highlighting cooperation on shared issues like water shortages. Portugal is Morocco’s main trading partner in the Maghreb and its second-largest in Africa.
The show will have about 1,500 exhibitors from 70 countries and over 40 conferences. Industry professionals can attend from 20 April, while the public can visit from 22 to 28 April. Past shows have attracted around 1.1 million visitors – nearly the same as the population of Meknès.
Agriculture is expected to grow by 10–14% this year, helping Morocco’s economy expand by up to 5.6%.
