MOROCCO – Crédit Agricole du Maroc Group (GCAM) has announced a funding allocation of 12 billion dirhams (approximately US$1.2 billion) to assist farmers in financing their activities for the upcoming 2024/2025 agricultural season.
This decision was revealed during the official launch of the campaign on October 26 in Meknes.
Morocco’s agricultural sector faces significant challenges, primarily due to a prolonged drought that has persisted for nearly six years.
In response to these difficulties, the government is intensifying its support for agricultural production as part of a broader strategy to revitalize the sector.
Ahmed El Bouari, the Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries, highlighted the main obstacles this year, including the ongoing water scarcity and rising costs of agricultural inputs.
To address these issues, the government has proposed several initiatives aimed at enhancing agricultural output.
Key measures include a reduction in the selling prices of certified cereal seeds by 3% to 5% from the previous campaign and the distribution of 850,000 tonnes of subsidized fertilizers to farmers.
Additional actions planned by the government involve maintaining subsidies for seeds of tomatoes, onions, and potatoes, which were introduced in the market gardening sector in October 2023.
Furthermore, the government intends to cover 1.05 million hectares of crops through a multi-risk climate insurance program.
The agricultural sector in Morocco plays a vital role in the economy, accounting for 12% of the nation’s GDP and employing approximately 30% of the workforce.
It hasn’t been an easy year for Morocco.
Recently, Morocco’s food safety authority, ONSA, approved the import of frozen and refrigerated sheep and beef meat from 45 countries.
This decision comes as the country grapples with the impacts of an extended drought that has led to a significant decline in local cattle populations.
The list of approved imports encompasses sheep and goat meat sourced from the European Union, Andorra, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
Additionally, beef meat imports are permitted from these same regions, along with Brazil and Ukraine, according to ONSA.
The decline in Morocco’s cattle numbers has been attributed to the prolonged dry conditions and a sharp rise in animal feed prices, prompting many farmers to cut back or cease livestock farming altogether.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE
