National contests are a powerful tool to foster market access of typical food products by creating linkages between producers and consumers. Inspired by the Swiss Local Food Contest, organized by the Swiss rural foundation of the Jura region (FRI), PAMPAT has worked closely with its Moroccan counterparts (ADA and the Ministry of Agriculture) to adapt the Swiss model to the Moroccan context.

The first Moroccan Contest for Typical Food Products was held in Rabat in November 2014. More than 350 products and 100 tasters participated in the event. 109 products, representing all the 16 regions of the Kingdom of Morocco, were awarded with medals.

The Moroccan Contest is based on five categories of origin-linked products:
A. Honey
B. Edible Oils (argan, olive)
C. Animal Products (cheeses, dried meat, etc.)
D. Products derived from fruits and vegetables (jams, preserves, dried fruits, dates, etc.)
E. Cereal-based products (couscous, zemitta, etc)

More information and details on the contest, its organization and results can be found here.