Innovating to create
jobs in Morocco

A pressing need to support innovation

In Morocco, the agri-food sector and the cosmetics industry are seeing sustained growth. There are a significant number of cooperatives in these industries that provide many jobs, particularly for women. According to figures published by the country’s Cooperation Development Office (ODCO) in June 2020, Morocco has 34,515 cooperatives in these two sectors, 5,794 of which are women’s cooperatives.

However, these cooperatives and the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups in agri-food and cosmetics often lack the financial means to access R&D facilities that would enable them to improve their production methods and develop new products. This curbs their potential for innovation, particularly considering that innovation processes require scientific, strategic and commercial support as well as technical assistance.

The CAIAC was created with a view to bridging this gap. The Centre is an innovation platform that makes state-of-the-art technological equipment and support from experts available to Moroccan and other African companies. Its technical component is focused on prototyping, developing new solutions, pilot testing and conducting physical, chemical, biological and sensory tests, with a view to developing and optimising industrial production processes in agri-food and cosmetics industries.

From innovation to the creation of permanent jobs

The CAIAC, which is located in Marrakech’s Innovation City, opened its doors on 17 May 2022. It was founded, with the support of Invest for Jobs, by Cluster Menara, an organisation created by the Moroccan Ministry of Industry and Trade which provides training and support services to agro-industrial enterprises and to businesses in the organic cosmetics industry.

The CAIAC serves a wide range of Moroccan and other African actors in the agri-food and cosmetics industries, including SMEs, startups, cooperatives and young project leaders. It puts a technology facility containing state-of-the-art equipment at their disposal, with a view to facilitating the R&D process for them. Support for projects in the form of advice, training and networking is also provided by teams of experts. The technology facility is also available to scientific research institutes and higher education establishments, which can use it to conduct research work or provide practical training for students.

With the financial and technical support it provides to the platform, Invest for Jobs aims to improve these actors’ competitiveness through innovation, help them grow and, as a result, create permanent jobs. As part of these efforts, the project is seeking to create 25 jobs directly in supported enterprises.

Under the project, the CAIAC will also provide over 120 employees from enterprises in the agri-food and cosmetics industries with 10 training sessions covering key skills and disciplines such as conservation technologies, occupational health and safety, and equipment maintenance and servicing management, to name but a few.

The CAIAC’s continent-wide reach

The CAIAC acts as a technology transfer platform for Moroccan and other African companies. One of its goals is to promote partnerships, cooperation and the transfer of expertise across Africa, opening its doors to companies in other African countries. By facilitating companies’ and cooperatives' access to certification, the CAIAC will also contribute to increasing export potential and attracting more foreign investment.

By October 2022, more than 15 enterprises had already received support from the CAIAC to develop new cosmetic and agri-food products, including EntomoNutris, Nectarome, Deshydraeggs and the cooperative Assif Issi.

The CAIAC is supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition" of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

*Picture's caption: Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, visited the CAIAC in May 2022.