Morocco Declaration for Better Policies on Pulses Endorsed at ICP 2016

The “Morocco Declaration on Pulses as Solutions to Food and Nutrition Security, Agricultural Sustainability and Climate Change Adaptation” was adopted in the first week of May 2016 by the over 400 participants of the 2016 International Conference on Pulses for Health, Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture in Drylands, held in Marrakesh, April 18-20. The conference gathered world science experts to find a path forward for boosting pulses production in developing countries through measures in science, research for development investments, policy and markets. 

 

The Morocco Declaration recommends to increase global pulses production by 20% from the current level by 2030 through closing the yield gaps, expansion in new niches that include intensification of rice fallows with pulses, and short season windows in existing intensive cropping systems; it also reaffirms the need for partnerships amongst countries in scientific and technical arenas.

 

The Morocco Declaration recognizes that pulses production has significantly lagged behind the rising demand in the developing world in spite of many benefits of pulses, which are a win-win for people and the environment – healthier soils, low carbon and water footprints, and greater household nutritional security, while also generating extra income for farmers. 

 

The Morocco Declaration further recommends a comprehensive review of policy related to pulses production and consumption in pulses-producing countries and an increased investment in pulses research and development.

 

The Morocco Declaration was drafted and endorsed with participation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Kingdom of Morocco, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique-Morocco, OCP-Foundation, the Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Science, The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes.

 

To read the full declaration, click here.