SEC MENA Strengthening Maghreb’s Poultry Future

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), in collaboration with the Moroccan Compound Feed Association (AFAC), launched the inaugural Soy Excellence Center Middle East and North Africa (SEC MENA) Maghreb Training Program on Broiler Nutrition and Feeding Management on January 21st. This milestone event marked the beginning of a new year in Morocco.

Bringing together 36 Moroccan participants from different companies who represent 85% of the local feed industry—the event welcomed nutritionists, feed formulators, engineers and veterinarian’s suppliers of additives and premixes. Benjamin Rau, FAS Attaché, delivered opening remarks, underscoring the program’s impact across the Maghreb region, including Algeria and Tunisia.

Reflecting on the importance of the region, Brent Babb, USSEC Regional Director for the European Union (EU) and MENA said, “U.S. Soy stands as a pillar of quality, sustainability, and availability”. With the Maghreb market, particularly Morocco, playing a strategic role, our SEC program fosters industry growth while paving the way for long-term economic and food security benefits.”

Enhancing Industry Knowledge and Strengthening Industry Collaboration

This specialized SEC MENA offering deepens participants’ understanding of broiler nutrition, feed management, and the soy value chain. Experts from Europe and the U.S.-led interactive sessions, including Q&A discussions and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Morocco, the largest importer of U.S. soybean oil and U.S. soybean meal (SBM) in the Maghreb, benefits from duty-free access under the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement, now in its 20th year. Poultry production accounts for over 75% of the country’s compound feed usage, making it a vital sector for U.S. Soy. Through USSEC’s efforts, Morocco has increasingly recognized the unique nutritional and energy advantages of U.S. soy products over those from other origins

Key Training Focus Areas

The program covered critical industry topics, including:

• Broiler Nutrition & Feeding Management – Optimizing poultry health and performance.
• U.S. Soy in Poultry Feed – Recognizing superior nutritional benefits.

Building a Sustainable Soy Knowledge Economy

A key objective of the efforts is to implement a “train-the-trainer” approach, ensuring the sustainability of knowledge transfer to ensure applicability. By equipping professionals with advanced expertise, USSEC places a strong emphasis on cooperation and collaboration, allowing participants to gain invaluable insights into how U.S. soy can contribute to a more resilient and prosperous feed industry for all stakeholders. Ultimately, nourishing the minds that will nourish the world is a great vision to work towards.

This blog post was funded in part by the soy checkoff.