Each year the “salon international de dattes – SIDATTE” is organized in the region of Tafilalet in Morocco, the most expanded oasis system of the world. The SIDATTE is an international meeting where professionals from the Moroccan date sector meet up with their foreign counterparts to maintain the dialog in order to raise the socio-economic development of the oasis zones and to make it benefit from the innovation and achievements of technological progress recorded both in Morocco and elsewhere. The 8th edition of the SIDATTE was held in Erfoud from October 26 to 29 under the topic "The valorization of dates: an added value for the economy of the oases" and aims to contribute to the valorization and development of the sector and the valuable oasis ecosystems. With about 250 exhibitors and 75000 visitors from about 15 countries, the event is a place of exchange, sharing of knowledge and trade that brings together professionals from the entire value chain of the date sector.
During the four days of exhibition, the team of the fertiledatepalm project maintained a stand to inform visitors about the project idea and visualized the project vision and activities on various posters and a video clip. Especially farmers and professionals from tissue culture laboratories were attracted and requested further insights into the research and the potential of the projects’ innovations.

At the second day of the exhibition a workshop was organized in partnership between the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and the Argan trees Zones (ANDZOA), the Belgian Technical Cooperation (CTB), the National Office of the Agricultural Council (ONCA) and the Regional Office of the Agricultural Development of Ouarzazate (ORMVAO) entitled “The governance and the innovation for the benefit of dates palm Economic Interest Groups (GIE)”. Participants in this workshop included members of GIEs located in the four national date-producing regions (Draa-Tafilalet, Oriental, Souss Massa and Guelmim-Oued Noune), representatives of the event organizing institutions, date palm producers and members of the fertiledatepalm project. Prof. L. Aziz, member of the project team, gave an overview about the fertiledatepalm project and more in detail presented the participatory approach adopted and the main achievements of the innovation platforms (integrating researchers, producers and institutions) that the team of the National School of Agriculture of Meknes has implemented at the three locations Erfoud, Jorf and Tinjdad.

In addition and preceding the SIDATTE, all project members assembled for their annual meeting in Errachidia taking their chance to present their achievements of the first project year, to discuss the next steps and upcoming activities and to visit the Innovation platforms and meet up and exchange with their members.

A YouTube video (see link below), created by Prof. El Hassan Achbani from the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Morocco, gives insights into the journey of the project team, about the background of the project and the appearance at the SIDATTE.

Further information

Links

• youtube.com: Insights into the journey of the project team (Part 1)
• youtube.com: Insights into the journey of the project team (Part 2)