On December 9, 2025, the Agropôle of Béni Mellal hosted a regional day organized by the Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA). The event focused on one central topic: how to help nursery operators meet ONSSA’s phytosanitary standards. The meeting, titled “Accompagnement technique des pépiniéristes pour se conformer aux référentiels phytosanitaires de l’ONSSA,” brought together several key institutions, demonstrating how important nursery production is for the region.

Representatives from the Regional Directorate of Agriculture, the Regional Directorate of Water and Forests, ONCA, INRA, and ONSSA all took part in the discussions. Their involvement showed that improving nursery practices is a shared responsibility. Agriculture, forestry, research and advisory services all play a role in ensuring that plant production remains healthy and safe.

The day began with a reminder of how essential agriculture is in the Béni Mellal–Khénifra region. Since nurseries are the starting point of all planting, their ability to follow phytosanitary standards directly influences the health of crops and the success of farmers. For this reason, ONSSA has made it a priority to support nurseries in upgrading their practices.

In this context, ONSSA also plays a direct support role for nurseries collaborating with the High Atlas Foundation. ONSSA agents work on-site in the nurseries, controlling and verifying the seedlings before they are distributed to farmers. This process ensures that all plants provided are free from diseases, viruses, or other phytosanitary problems that could harm agricultural production. In this way, ONSSA serves as a guarantee of quality, giving farmers confidence that the seedlings they receive through High Atlas Foundation initiatives are healthy, safe, and fully compliant with national phytosanitary standards.

During the event, ONSSA presented how it plans to help nursery operators understand and apply the required standards. The presentation covered what these rules mean in practice, how compliance protects crops and how ONSSA will accompany nurseries through a step-by-step improvement process. A strategy for upgrading all registered nurseries in the region was also explained, focusing on training, monitoring and better organization.

The discussions also touched on the challenges that many nurseries face. Some do not fully meet the regulations yet, often because they lack technical knowledge or resources. These gaps can create risks, such as the spread of plant diseases or pests. That is why ONSSA and its partners emphasized the need for continuous support, technical training and clearer guidance.

Even with these challenges, the atmosphere of the event was positive. All institutions expressed their willingness to work together to help nurseries improve. The goal is not only to enforce rules but also to strengthen the sector by giving nursery operators the support they need to succeed.

This regional day highlighted the bigger importance of nursery compliance. When nurseries follow phytosanitary standards, they help secure entire agricultural value chains, protect the region’s crops and improve competitiveness in local and national markets. Good plant health at the nursery level means stronger, more productive agriculture overall.

By organizing this event, ONSSA showed its commitment to building a safer, more professional nursery sector in Béni Mellal–Khénifra. With multiple partners working together, the region is taking meaningful steps toward healthier plant production and a more sustainable agricultural future.