SIAM 2023: Cosumar highlights the importance of the sugar industry in Morocco’s food sovereignty

by times news cr

2024-07-28 23:00:28

Cosumar’s participation in SIAM, organized in Meknes from May 2 to 7, aims to demonstrate how the group contributes to the country’s food sovereignty and supports the sugar industry by highlighting its activities, innovations and commitments in terms of sustainable development, the group indicates in a press kit.

Since its creation in 1929, continues the same source, the group has become a leader in the production of white sugar in Morocco, while continuing to grow and modernize.

Today, a major player in the Moroccan agri-food sector and a pillar of the competitiveness of the national sugar industry, the group reaffirms, at the same time, its commitment to its customers, farmers and partners, by ensuring that it meets its obligations in terms of market supply, safety, quality and preservation of natural resources.

In this press kit, the Group also highlights the strategic initiatives and projects put in place to strengthen its commitment to the Kingdom’s food sovereignty.

“As a leading CSR player, our participation in SIAM 2023 demonstrates our commitment to sustainable development, social and environmental responsibility, and supporting our agricultural partners,” says the Group, presenting its innovative initiatives, its collaboration projects and its prospects for the Moroccan sugar industry.

Caring 4 the future : Les engagements RSE de Cosumar :

Convinced that sustainable growth can only be achieved if it is shared, the Group has placed sustainable development issues at the heart of its business project and its managerial culture.

The new CSR approach permeates the Group’s culture and all of its activities, wherever it operates, through four strategic axes broken down into thirteen commitments, in line with the trajectory of its signature “Let’s share progress”.

To control the environmental impacts of its activity, Cosumar adopts exemplary conduct and invests in projects to modernize its industrial sites, convert its facilities to use new fuels and reduce energy losses. The Group has invested 10 billion dirhams (MMDH) in its industrial tool to reduce the environmental impact, which has reduced water consumption by 90% since 2005 and energy consumption in the sugar beet processing process by 39.4%.

Thanks to these colossal investments, Cosumar has succeeded in reducing the carbon footprint of the sector, with a 46% reduction in the carbon footprint of white sugar between 2016 and 2022.

In addition, the company is committed to providing financial, technical and social support to its agricultural partners while supporting farming families. The Group brings together more than 40,000 farmers producing beet and sugar cane, creates indirect jobs and encourages the creation of SMEs and cooperatives in the agricultural sector.

The Group also injects more than 3 billion dirhams annually into the regions of implementation to finance inputs, advances and agricultural equipment, as well as for the transport of sugar plant production and the remuneration of farmers and service providers…. This in addition to the 5 million working days generated in the agricultural sector. Cosumar also buys all production at the guaranteed price regardless of the volume produced by partner farmers.

In addition, Cosumar has obtained ISO 14001 certification, demonstrating its commitment to environmental and responsible management. With 87% of local partners and suppliers and 70% of the purchasing budget made locally, the company is part of a dynamic of responsible and inclusive progress, benefiting its entire ecosystem.

The circular economy is at the heart of the sugar process, since nearly 280,000 tonnes of co-products from sugar beet and cane (pulp, pellets, bagasse, molasses) are revalued and intended for animal feed (pulp/pellets), for the production of yeast (molasses) and used as biofuel by sugar factories (bagasse). As for the water recovered from the beet, it is systematically recycled to be reused in the Group’s industrial process.

Role of the sugar industry in Morocco’s food sovereignty:

The sugar sector plays a crucial role in the Moroccan economy by ensuring a regular supply of sugar on the national market, despite the climatic challenges that the country has been facing in recent years thanks to increased resilience. In addition to being an essential pillar for the sugar supply in Morocco, it is also an important source of income for farmers and for all sectors in the regions.

By promoting the cultivation of sugar cane and sugar beet, the Moroccan sugar industry contributes to job creation and economic growth in rural areas of the country. In addition, it strengthens the country’s food sovereignty while helping to reduce imports of raw sugar.

Cosumar et l’innovation:

The group is actively engaged in innovation to improve its performance and offers solutions to ensure the sustainability of the Moroccan sugar industry. The Group invests in research and development, technology and collaboration with partners and authorities to develop sustainable and competitive solutions for the sugar sector.

– Investment in research into new, more efficient varieties:

Aware of the challenges posed by the ongoing search for improved yields, performance and income of partner farmers, the Group invests in research into new seed varieties and launches a series of variety trials each year in the research centres of the various sugar-producing areas.

This approach aims to ensure the sustainability of sugar production and to support farmers in the face of climatic hazards and to maximize their income.

– Attassir: digitalization at the service of agriculture

The Cosumar Group, leader in the sugar industry in Morocco, is committed to a process of continuous innovation to support its farming partners. Thus, the Attaissir solution, developed by the Group, makes it possible to digitalize the entire value chain of the agricultural activity of the Moroccan sugar industry. Thanks to this system, the 40,000 partner farmers are digitalized and of quality, ensuring monitoring by the system and in real time of their production.

– Drones: new management tool at Cosumar

The group has introduced the use of camera-equipped drones for sugar beet crop management, as part of its Agriculture 4.0 project. This method of monitoring plots allows for early detection of weeds, diseases, insects and pests, as well as accurate identification of harmful species. Teams can also accurately calculate the population within plots for faster diagnosis and more effective management.

The use of drones allows for treatment optimization by choosing the herbicide based on the presence or absence of certain weeds, thus reducing costs for farmers while protecting the environment through a reduction in inputs.

– Optimization of sugar crop fertilization using precision agriculture

Still as part of its precision agriculture strategy, aimed at optimizing the fertilization of sugar crops, Cosumar has introduced Smart-Blenders producing fertilizer formulas adapted to each plot.

During the 2021-2022 campaign, 24 Smart-Blenders machines were added to the machine fleet, thus enabling the generalization of reasoned fertilization of plots. Soil analysis was extended to all perimeters thanks to the establishment of a central laboratory of the Group in the Tadla perimeter. This laboratory allows the processing of 200 soil samples per day, and thus meets the need to set up fertilizer formulas adapted to each plot.

Cosumar also anticipated the surge in fertilizer prices by optimizing its supply under the best economic conditions, to benefit aggregated farmers.

Location and description of the Cosumar stand

Cosumar’s booth at SIAM 2023 is located in Zone B, product area. It is designed to reflect the company’s modern and dynamic image, while highlighting its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

Visitors will be able to discover the company’s products, innovations and projects, as well as participate in interactive and informative activities.

2024-07-28 23:00:28

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