Partnership with INRA-Morocco

INRA (National Institute of Agricultural Research of Morocco) is a leader Moroccan institution working in agricultural research. INRA is an autonomous government institution affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture. It is responsible for crop and livestock research, carrying out programs on genetic improvement, resources genetic conservation, crop management and technology transfer. For that, INRA is organized as a network of 10 Regional Research Centers representing different agro-ecological regions of Morocco. To achieve its objectives, INRA capitalizes on its qualified human potential (about 200 Research Scientists (in different disciplines), 218 technicians, and 41 managers) and on a good infrastructure (Laboratories, greenhouses, 23 experimental stations located in different agro-ecological zones, etc.). Achievement portfolios testify of the pertinent role of INRA in upgrading agricultural sector at the national level. This outcome, both rich and varied is characterized, among others, by the registration in the Moroccan catalogue of 300 varieties adapted to diverse Moroccan agro-ecological environments and presenting different resistance/tolerance to biotic and/or abiotic stresses. INRA has a wide experience in mandated crops (legumes, cereals, etc.) agronomy, plant breeding, crop protection, agroecology, and biotechnology. INRA has an NGS platform (Illumina and Life Technology) and has also bioinformatics facilities to deal with genomic-based research projects. INRA hosts also the National Gene Bank for major crops.

We are interested in joining a dynamic and experienced consortium. You can count on our motivated and multidisciplinary team (agronomy, crop protection, plant breeding, agroecology, genomics, agrochemistry, soil science and socioeconomic) with very good experience in international collaboration.

Dr. Rachid MENTAG (male), Plant biotechnologist, leader of the Legume Group at INRA, Morocco. He has an extended experience in participation and coordination of international research. He is acting as Institutional PI of two PRIMA projects (INTOMED and DIVICIA) and He acted as Institutional PI of two ARIMNet projects (MEDILEG and AVIAMED). He is a team leader of NGS platform of INRA. Focus mainly on agronomy and molecular legume interactions with biotic and abiotic stresses.