On 28-29 November, IBN Tofail University kindly hosted the First International Conference on Food Safety in the Mediterranean Region, one of the main achievements of the Fosamed project.

Fosamed is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building project funded by the European Commission and aimed at launching a new Master’s Degree on Food Safety in Morocco.

The conference brought together leading researchers, industry experts and policy makers to exchange knowledge and ideas on the latest advances in agri-food research and innovation. The event provided a unique opportunity to discuss the challenges facing the industry, explore emerging trends and identify solutions to the complex issues related to the food industry. It also fostered collaboration between different stakeholders and stimulated new initiatives that contribute to more sustainable and resilient food systems.

The event was opened by the representatives of our kind host, IBN Tofail University, who gave a warm welcome to the enthusiastic audience. After the presentation of the project and its Masters, the stage was handed over to the keynote speakers and to the dozens of researchers and professionals invited to present their oral communications or posters during the conference.

In fact, the Fosamed project launched a Call for Papers that gathered a series of contributions of original results of empirical, conceptual or experimental research in the broad field of food safety, which enriched the sessions and heated up the debate in Kenitra.

The inspiring presentations of the keynote speakers stimulated the interest of the audience and provided much food for thought: Hamid Felloun, Director of FENAGRI, Fédération Nationale de l’Agroalimentaire; Thaer Yaseen, Regional Officer for Plant Protection and Production, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); and Joan Romanyà, Professor of Soil Science, University of Barcelona.

The second day was marked by a crucial moment: the signing of three cooperation agreements that laid the foundations for a collaborative network. Representatives of the partner universities and the associated partner Fenagri met to sign 3 agreements aimed at creating a sustainable international cooperation network to promote educational initiatives and internationalisation, attract funding and ensure the sustainability of results. A first agreement was signed between the Moroccan universities involved; a second agreement was signed between the Moroccan partners and Fenagri; a third agreement was signed between all the project partners.

A big thank you goes to the Université Ibn Tofaïl for hosting the event so brilliantly, to the Honorary Committee, the Organising Committee, the Scientific and Doctoral Committee, to Prima Programme and the Union for the Mediterranean for their patronage, to all the participants, to all the online and face-to-face speakers, and to all the Fosamed project partners!

The First International Conference on Food Safety of the FoSaMed Project live on Al Aoula, Moroccan Public Television.