22 THERE IS NO corner of the world that does not rely on agriculture to feed its people, provide income for families, and bring money into the countries' economies. In late March and early April of 2022, the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) Class 18 visited Portugal and Morocco to develop a better understanding of global agriculture and to meet people who work to provide food and other resources to the world. Although there are clear differences between Ontario agriculture and the agriculture in Morocco and Portugal, there are also many similarities. Their farms are smaller on average, but they still struggle against the unpredictability of nature and weather. Their farms have different practices as they serve specific export market needs, but they still deal with government regulations that impact their ability to farm sustainably. Portugal and Morocco are about 850 km apart — slightly less than the distance from Ottawa to Halifax — but their landscapes and way of life are very different. Both countries have experienced revolution and liberation in this lifetime, hold close to their heritage, and have pride in their accomplishments. In 1956Morocco started to become independent from French and Spanish protectorates after King Mohammed V negotiated the country's freedominexchange for institutingaconstitutional monarchy with a democratic government. Portugal is one of the oldest nations, with 1143 as the year of its independence. The country moved from a monarchy to a dictatorship and, in 1976, became a democracy after the Carnation Revolution. The nation is often compared to Spain but craves a unique identity. They see Spain as one of their main agricultural competitors and one of their main export markets. "Listening to our hosts and guides discuss the histories of both places, the passion they had for their countries was very clear. As we were visiting and learning, I found that Portugal had a much more 'western' feel and was more cosmopolitan. However, the cities in Morocco that we visited – Rabat, Fes, and Casablanca – were much more westernized than I had imagined. There seemed to be a more disparate amount of poverty in Morocco in the rural areas," says Victoria Berry, Class 18 participant and manager of communications at Grain Farmers of Ontario A global perspective AALP CLASS 18 VISIT PORTUGAL AND MOROCCO Ontario Grain Farmer AALP, CLASS 18, STANDING BY THE NATURAL OASIS IN THE SAHARA DESERT. PHOTO COURTESY FELIX WEBER. Industry News IRRIGATION CONCERNS Meeting with agriculture officials and growers in both Portugal and Morocco, it was clear that the number one concern for farmers was water. Neither country has abundant access to fresh water for farming, and both rely on rainwater, expensive irrigation systems, and building dams to create water sources. "It was a good reminder of how lucky we are to have the typical amount of rainfall that we have in Ontario. The farmers we met with, and the organizations we spoke to, feel the pressure of providing food to their own people and to their export markets and the number one resource they need to increase their yields is water. There were other issues impacting their ability to grow, but without water, the rest won't matter," says Scott Persall, vice chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario Board of Directors and director for District 5 (Elgin, Norfolk). InMorocco, Class 18 learned that meteorologists predict a 20 per cent decline in water. The Ministry of Agriculture told the class that there are about eight million hectares of arable land in Morocco, with arable land loss at about 20 per cent per year. 1.6 million hectares are on irrigation, of which only 600,000 are on localized irrigation, which is the most efficient. The Ministry is implementing a financial aid program to encourage companies to develop irrigation solutions, including micro-sprinkle systems, other pressurized systems, or seawater desalination. The goal is to have 900,000 hectares with localized irrigation by 2027. In the past, Morocco has relied on dams to protect against drought years, but recently dams have come under fire fromenvironmental groups, according to Class 18's tour guide. The Confederação dos Agricultores de Portugal (CAP) represents Portuguese farmers and the national agricultural sector and provides training, information centres, and advocacy
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