MOU Signing Kicks Off Training Partnership Between Council, Moroccan Poultry Association And West African Poultry Producers

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has worked with the Moroccan Poultry Association (FISA) for more than 20 years to develop and modernize the poultry industry within Morocco. Now, the Council is partnering with FISA to use this success as a training platform to educate emerging West African poultry producers.

“We have had tremendous enthusiasm from the West African poultry sector during earlier training programs,” said Ramy Taieb, USGC regional director for the Middle East and Africa. “The use of FISA’s training center will allow for frequent and cost-effective training programs, which are highly desired within the region.”

In late September, the Council signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to conduct a series of training programs with FISA in Morocco at FISA’s poultry training center, Avipole, and in-country throughout West Africa. The programs will address technical restraints facing the West African poultry industry, including biosecurity measures, feed production and quality, meat safety and hygiene, regulatory practices and overall capacity development.

Through these joint programs, the Council aims to train between 250 and 350 poultry producers over the next three years.

“By partnering with FISA, we are effectively leveraging our resources to tackle a challenging, yet promising, longer-term market,” said Kurt Shultz, USGC senior director of global strategies. “In the end, we intend to play a role in catalyzing change by training a whole new generation of poultry producers in an important but underserved part of the world.”

Demand for poultry – the most affordable and commonly-consumed protein source in the region – is expected to continue growing as the sub-Saharan African population adds and estimated 1.3 billion people by 2050. The Council’s work to help train current and future poultry producers will build capacity to meet this demand while instilling confidence in the value of U.S. coarse grains and co-products.

“The Council’s capacity building efforts are intended to help the West African industry plant the seeds for future growth,” Shultz said. “Our mission is to develop markets, enable trade and improve lives – and this program is an exciting one for our members who believe that the markets of tomorrow need to be developed today.”

Learn more about the Council’s work in West Africa.