The document discusses Morocco's agricultural biotechnology sector, highlighting its economic significance, infrastructure, and collaborations among several national institutions to enhance research and development. It outlines the progress in ICT infrastructure, information management systems, and the implementation of strategies like e-Morocco 2010 aimed at promoting a knowledge economy. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of effective information exchange and provides recommendations for improving awareness and tools for agricultural biotechnology information systems.

1. Current status of ICT structure and
applications existed to manage and
disseminate information on Knowledge of
agricultural biotechnology innovation
information in Morocco
Workshop on Agricultural biotechnology for Knowledge
sharing in NENA Region
Cairo Egypt
2-4 July 2012
Mr Otman Sebbata IT Specialist
Coll: Dr Driss IRAQI Biotechnologist/ Mrs Fatima
Gaboune Biometrist
, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
(INRA) Rabat, Morocco.

2. 1 Background
 Agriculture plays a major economic
role in Morocco
 Accounts for 19 % of total GNP with
15% from agriculture and 4% from
agro-industry
 80% of the 14 millions rural
populations depend on revenues
from the agricultural sector
 Information is of major concern to
decision makers, researchers,
extension officers and farmers

3. 22 BBiiootteecchhnnoollooggyy iinn MMoorrooccccoo
National priority for Development of Science and
Technology
 Improve Food production (Quantity & Quality)
to meet the National demand due to the increasing
population
To manage the problems of biotic and abiotic
stresses
 Assist the breeding programs,
 Characterize and add value to the local biodiversity

4. 22 BBiiootteecchhnnoollooggyy iinn MMoorrooccccoo
 Started in 80’s with the use of plant tissue culture technique as a tool
in crop improvement program
 Institutions involved in biotechnology:
1. The National Institute of Agricultural Research “INRA” which is leading
national research organization in agricultural biotechnology in
Morocco with a network of 10 Regional Research Centers and
23 Experimental stations
2. The Hassan II Institute of Agronomy & Veterinary medicine: IAV,
3. The National College of Agriculture of Meknès: ENA Meknes
4. Water and Forest Administration: CNRF
5. Faculties of Sciences and Technology: FST
6. Private companies producing at a large scale banana, date palm,
strawberry and potato in-vitro planting materials.
7. Professional associations to promote contacts and interactions between
biotechnologists through workshops and similar activities

5. 2 BBiiootteecchhnnoollooggyy iinn MMoorrooccccoo
 INRA as a national leading institutions has developed capacities and
capabilities in agricultural biotechnology research thus a new strategy
was elaborated to integrate biotechnology as major tools in agricultural
research:
1. Marrakech: Development of Date palm tissue culture propagation
methods
2. Errachidia: Large scale Date palm micropropagation using
developed tissue culture methods set in Marrakech to meet the
increasing demand (3,212,000 of total demand for plantlets in 2007)
3. Kenitra: Genetic diversity and studies on tissue culture of citrus
4. Settat / Meknes: Application of Molecular marker for wheat
breeding
5. Rabat: Genetic crop improvement programs, tissue culture,
molecular markers Gene Cloning and Characterization and genetic
transformation of plant, food Microorganisms Molecular
characterization)

6. 2 BBiiootteecchhnnoollooggyy iinn MMoorrooccccoo
Collaboration and partnerships:
 Collaborative research programs with NARS (IAV, ENAMeknes and
Universities) and with IARCs (ICARDA, IAEA, IPGRI, ICGEB, ASTF,
European commission) and NARS in countries (France, USA, Italy,
Belgium, Portugal …etc)
 A consortium between Moroccan NARS (INRA / IAV and ENAM) was set
aiming in the biotechnology field to develop a joint biotech lab for
collaborative programs for effective use of local expertise and available
resources within the consortium
 Biotech networks in Morocco are means for collaboration between
NARS

7. 3 IICCTT iinnffrraassttrruuccttuurree aanndd CCaappaacciittyy
Hardware:
 INRA made very important progress in the use of information
technology
 Over 450 of desktop computers are currently installed, INRA
research centers and biotech labs are equipped
with PCs of last generation and are running with a mixture of
windows XP, vista and Win 7
 Servers are mostly based in central sites. They are using
windows server NT, 2000 and 2003. In addition Linux and HP-UX
are also used for internet services management.
Network and Internet
 PC are networked to small and medium LANs with access to the
Internet (20 Mo LS in Rabat and DSL ranging from 8 to 20 Mo in
all regional Centers)

8. 33 IICCTT iinnffrraassttrruuccttuurree aanndd CCaappaacciittyy
Application Softwares:
For desktop applications, MS office is widely used.
INRA research centers and biotech research Unit are
equipped with PCs using biotech specific software
and DTP tools ( Data acquisition hardware, Computer,
peripherals, and applications software (word
processing, spreadsheets, DBMS, and Statistical
packages);

9. 3 IICCTT iinnffrraassttrruuccttuurree aanndd CCaappaacciittyy
Bioinformatics Unit:
 The major focus of the bioinformatics unit is to develop information
management systems using available tools that provide the required
data capture, storage query and access interfaces to meet the demands
 Managed by a biometric specialist with a bioinformatic background
 Mission: supporting the work done by the biotech research unit.
 Provided with PCs equipment under Windows and linux OS and
applications tools (DTP, Statistical packages and specific biotech
softwares) with access to the Internet.
 Helping biotech and non biotech researchers to design their research
protocols in addition to searching biotech databases (NCBI, Swissport,
Unipro) and processing their collected data (statistical analysis)

10. 44 IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn ssyysstteemmss
 With the advent of Internet, Websites are becoming the basis of
any information systems for information management and
communication
 Moroccan NARS websites evolved in the last decade from a
simple and descriptive html webpages to Portals with thematic
and sub regional websites
 The used Content management system, has enabled any user
with an account to collaborate and make update in specific
webpages in addition to management of information workflow
and life cycle

11. 44 IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn ssyysstteemmss
 Existing websites are not numerous in biotechnology, but this aspect
can be found in a category or some thematic databases in the following
list of Moroccan websites:
Name URL
The Ministry of Agriculture and fisheries(Dept of
agriculturel
www.madrpm.gov.ma
The National Institute of Agricultural Research www.inra.org.ma
webagris.inra.org.ma :120/agris
www.pgrfa.org/gpa/mar/welcome.htmx
The Hassan II institute of
Agriculture and Veterinary Science www.iav.ac.ma
The Hassan II institute of
Agriculture and Veterinary Science: the School of
Horticulture in Agadir
www.iavcha.ac.ma
The National School of Agriculture
in Meknes
www.enameknes.ac.ma
Water and forestry CNRF http://www.eauxetforets.gov.ma/
The Moroccan association of Bioinformatics www.smbi-maroc.org/ www.smbi.ma

12. 55 PPoolliiccyy aanndd ssttrraatteeggiieess
E-Morocco 2010”
A national strategy launched in 2005 to stet up a knowledge economy and
reduce digital divide:
1. Content development: Avail a Moroccan content structured, useful,
updated and adapted to targeted users needs;
2. Strengthening ICT infrastructures in terms of offered capacity and
improve the quality of services ;
3. Training based on profiles needs ;
4. Internet access: simplifying and generalization of access to internet;
5. ICT Industry: development of national productive and competitive ICT
industry;
6. Tele-service: Development of call centers and offshore zone with ICT
activities.

13. 55 PPoolliiccyy aanndd ssttrraatteeggiieess
The Moroccan constitution (2011) in its article 27, stressed that Citizens have the
right to access information held by public authorities
Decision makers are becoming more receptive to information sharing and are
boosting access to information through networks and portals;
Use of Standards:
Standards are being used as part of international collaboration in order to facilitate
information exchange with regional and international information systems (FAO,
ICARDA …)
IPR issues in information management :
Plant variety right (Official Catalogue)
INRA used to register its released varieties in the Moroccan PVR (Official catalogue)
wheat, Bean, citrus tree, date palm and other fruit trees registered in 2011.
Patent:
signed agreement with the Moroccan Patent Office ww.ompic.ma and several
patents so far registered in biotechnology.
For researchers to be more innovative, benefits from royalties must be shared

14. 66 CCoonntteennttss
Genebank:
National Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Morocco Genebank
based at INRA Settat, developed for medium and long term conservation
and utilization of plant genetic resources (4500 species of higher plants of
which about 200 species are considered as rare or threatened)
serves as a national repository for the collection of over 47000 germplasm
accessions of different species.
The collection serves as insurance against genetic erosion and as a source
of resistance to diseases and pests, tolerance to climatic and other
environmental stresses, and improved quality and yield traits for crop
improvement.
Application softwares : model used at genetic resources unit of ICARDA;
and GRIS developed by IPGRI. INRA contributed to the new GRIN system
Information is accessed locally for collection management purpose

15. 66 CCoonntteennttss
Genebank:
Plant genetic resources database related to plant genetic resources FAO
PGRFA
The World information sharing mechanism on the
implementation of the global plan of action (GPA) for plant
genetic resources for food and agriculture: with
participation of major NARS institutions (INRA, IAVHII,
ENA Meknes )
Accessed on the Net: www.pgrfa.org/gpa/mar/welcome.htmx

16. 66 CCoonntteennttss
Research results:
Bibliographic database with full text access using FAO standards and tools
is currently updated and is accessible through the Net
http://webagris.inra.org.ma:120/agris
Patents: some findings results are patented
Eg.: Biological control by the strain of mucl 47354 pichia guilliermondii
diseases of post-harvest registered in 2007 registered at the Moroccan patent
office www.ompic.ma Patent number :ma 30121 b1 date: 02.01.2009
Process for brewer's yeast debittering registered at the Canadian patent office
Patent number:[45] : 5,716,653 date of patent feb. 10, 1998
News and Events: Published on the net through institutional Websites

17. 77 IICCTT aapppplliiccaattiioonnss
BBiiootteecchhnnoollooggyy MMaannaaggeemmeenntt TToooollss::
Thanks to collaboration with IARCs (ICRISAT) some management tools are
being tested for further implementation
1. Crop management information systems : integrated crop information
system linking molecular, phenotypic and pedigree data.
2. Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) : designed to
automate the sample workflow associated with molecular marker genotyping
3. Integrated Marker-Assisted Selection System iMAS : a single unified
computing and decision support platform to facilitate identification of
trait-linked markers for use in marker-aided selection and breeding
IMAS tool is currently used at the bioinformatics unit to analyze and process data
collected by INRA’s Researchers.

18. 77 IICCTT aapppplliiccaattiioonnss
t Web application toooollss oonn bbiiootteecchhnnoollooggyy
Developed by Post graduate students for their Msc thesis projects
6 Web application tools so far developed ( sugar beet, potatoes, grapevines,
legumes and cereals)
Provide access to a thematic databank (data on genomes downloaded from
int. Database) and a tool to be used to input data on Moroccan crop
genomes
Will be installed on a server and used at local level by INRA’s researchers

19. 77 IICCTT aapppplliiccaattiioonnss
WWeebb aapppplliiccaattiioonn ttoooollss oonn bbiiootteecchhnnoollooggyy
Grape genome analysis: SSR iiddeennttiiffiiccaattiioonn aanndd
rreellaatteedd PPrriimmeerr ddeessiiggnn
Used for searching Short Sequence Repeat (SSR)
in the entire genome of grape (Vitis vinifera),
and design of SSR markers for identifying
genes or screening for disease such as mildew
and fan leaf virus
Grape genome consists of 190 contigs,
2,745,612 SSR. Of Microsatellites grape genomes
Used Tools:
NCBI (National Center for biotechnology information database
MISA (Microsatellite) algorithm for SSR identification
programming SSR research
Use of Primer3 for Primer PCR identification
Perl program for scripts
Active perl interpreter for Perl script running
PHP language for web bioseq design
Mysql as DBMs and Apache as web server

20. 88 IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn aanndd ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn
cchhaannnneellss
Informal channel:
Invisible college: interaction between researchers from
different institutions at national or international levels
Formal channels:
On site visits for students/and scientists
Workshops, and fair
Scientific Meetings
Institutional Publications in different format (annual
report, papers, books, leaflets, flyers etc)
Field demonstration and farmer field school (FFS)
Media

21. 99 IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn aanndd ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn
sseerrvviicceess
Institutional websites:
•Information on research projects
•List of Publications (books and journals)
•News and events
Thematic Specific websites:
GPA website : The World information sharing mechanism on the
implementation of the global plan of action (GPA) for plant genetic resources
for food and agriculture: with participation of major NARS institutions (INRA,
IAVHII, ENAmeknes www.pgrfa.org/gpa/mar/welcome.htmx
Bibliographic databases : INRA made use of WebAGRIS tools to publish on
the Net its Reference database with links to full text (journal papers)
webagris.inra.org.ma:120/agris
International websites:
Data on Moroccan crop genomes is input in international websites (NSBI)

22. 99 IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn aanndd ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn
sseerrvviicceess
Extension and advisory information:
INRA is collaborating to the production of an extension journal (190
issues) coordinated by the Directorate of Training and Research .
Journal issues are on the net www.vulgarisation.net/bulletin.htm
Market information:
A national website dedicated to market information was launched by the
ministry of agriculture http://www.marocagriculture.com/maroc-agriculture/
la-bourse-agricole

23. 1100 BBiiootteecchh IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn SSyysstteemmss
Some Comments:
 Lack of awareness of Decision makers resulted in
unsupporting information exchange within NARS
 Lack of existing strategy for coordinating information content
generation and use in agricultural biotechnology research
 Information exchange within information system is seen as an
extra work if objectives are not well defined (no interests
shown)

24. 1100 BBiiootteecchh IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn SSyysstteemmss
Recommendations:
 Raising awareness of Decision makers within NARS on
importance of biotech information system
 Indentifying application tools for web based content
generation and management of agricultural biotech research
that are commonly used and available at IARCs or NARS
partners that can be of use for strengthening knowledge
exchange within NARS and at the regional fora
 Encouraging development of institutions, expertise and
project databases at national and regional level to promote
partnership at bi and multi lateral levels and to fulfill
requirement and conditions set by sponsors for joint projects
submission (European Commission as eg.)

25. BBiiootteecchh IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn SSyysstteemmss
Recommendations:
 Targeting potential information producers made of
researchers by providing support for capacity building on
existing tools for information generation;
 Making an inventory of successful information systems of
agricultural biotechnological research within national, regional
and international levels that can be used as a model by other
NARS

26. TThhaannkk yyoouu ffoorr yyoouurr
aatttteennttiioonn