The role of academic institutions in leveraging innovation through patenting activities: A diagnostic of the Moroccan experience focusing on the agricultural sector

In the late 2000s, Morocco implemented various actions and programmes to establish a National Innovation System, which has helped to bolster innovation and patenting activities within higher education and research institutions. This article investigates the Moroccan innovation framework that facilitated patenting in the agricultural domain. The study analyzed patenting indicators derived from the ‘Espacenet’ database for published patents with Moroccan inventors in agriculture between 2000 and 2020. Despite the Moroccan government's efforts to promote innovation in academic institutions, the data suggests that universities have benefited more from this positive development than agricultural institutions. Specifically, the findings reveal that over the past 20 years, agricultural institutions have accounted for only 2% of Morocco's patent portfolio, despite contributing to 20% of the country's scientific production.This evaluative study is the first to identify features specific to agricultural patenting activities in Morocco. The analysis of the indicators highlights the need to strengthen coordination between the system's different actors and develop more effective mechanisms to overcome the limitations hindering technological innovation in the agricultural sector. Although Morocco's agricultural patenting performance is favourable compared to neighbouring countries, the national innovation system still has a long way to go to achieve a knowledge-based economy in the agricultural sector.