Food Sovereignty and Just Food Systems
Toward Fairer and More Integrated Food Policies in Morocco
DIRAIA’s Participant Action Workshop
As part of the DIRAIA project, the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis (MIPA) held a participatory workshop in Fez on 20 June 2026, focusing on mobilization for food sovereignty and just food systems. The workshop brought together researchers, civil society representatives, and other stakeholders to discuss the main challenges facing Morocco’s food system and explore ways to promote more equitable and sustainable food policies.
Discussions highlighted several interconnected challenges, including water scarcity and climate change, rising agricultural production costs, the vulnerability of small-scale farmers, inequalities within marketing and distribution chains, and the decline of local seeds and crop varieties. Participants also pointed to limited coordination among institutions and stakeholders, as well as the constraints facing civil society organizations in contributing to public policymaking.
The workshop adopted a participatory approach to examine food sovereignty beyond the question of food availability. It explored its links to the sustainable management of natural resources, support for local production, fairer distribution systems, and access to healthy, diverse, and affordable food.
The discussions and research analysis informed the policy brief “Mobilizing for Food Sovereignty: Towards Fairer and More Integrated Food Policies in Morocco.” The brief presents recommendations aimed at strengthening food sovereignty through better policy coordination, greater support for small-scale farmers and local seeds, and improved transparency in wholesale markets and food pricing.
It also emphasizes the importance of strengthening civil society’s capacity to engage in advocacy, establishing sustainable mechanisms for dialogue and consultation, grounding public decisions in research, and integrating gender considerations into food policies.
Read the policy brief:
MIPA Institute
MIPA is a non-profit independent research institution based in Rabat, Morocco. Founded by a group of transdisciplinary researchers, MIPA’s mission is to produce systematic and in-depth analysis of relevant policy issues that lead to new and innovative ideas for solving some of the most pressing issues relating to democracy.