Morocco takes new steps to protect the agricultural sector
2007-12-07
Morocco's agriculture ministry announces plans to help farmers contend with the effects of drought. The comprehensive effort for next season includes irrigation, crop diversification, mechanisation and financial assistance.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 07/12/07
 [Sarah Touahri] Farmers are thankful for the rain they receive, but say the state needs to pay more attention to irrigation issues. |
Agriculture in Morocco depends on the amount of annual rainfall. Now, after a particularly dry season where the cereal harvest was 66% lower than the five-year average, the government is implementing new measures for 2007-2008.
Agriculture Minister Aziz Akhenouch said a programme financed entirely by the agricultural development fund and the general budget will help combat the effects of drought. The cost: 400 million dirhams to purchase 400,000 tonnes of barley, corn, mixed feed and drinking water for some rural areas. According to the agriculture ministry’s communications department, farmers will benefit from state support for cereal seeds to the value of 115 DH/ 100 kg.
Crop diversification is also included in the agriculture programme. Four million olive trees and an additional half-million various fruit trees will be distributed.
Through subsidies of up to 60%, the agriculture ministry is continuing to grant aid for equipment to be used in water-saving irrigation systems.
Efforts to support mechanisation in this sector will also continue. The support has enabled a 42% rise in tractor sales this year and a 21% increase in autumn sowing and cultivation. Farmers will also benefit from reduced interest rates not exceeding 5.5% for investment credit and 5% for seasonal credit.
In another helpful move, the processing of farm debts will be taken over by Crédit Agricole, a company specialising in the financing of small-scale agriculture projects which are ineligible for traditional bank finance.
Despite the government initiative, some farmers are still unhappy. Abdelkébir Mouassaoui, a young farmer, said the State’s efforts must be stepped up to save the growing season. The recent rain has certainly done some good, he added, but it is still not enough. Mouassaoui argued that much more attention needs to be paid to irrigation from now on, since Morocco has a significant number of dams.
His colleague, El Mouden Barakat, said that recent years have proved very trying for the sector. "Morocco has imported 2,280 tonnes of cereals through October 15th. This is an alarming rise of 115.4% compared with 2006. So the national farming industry is finding it very difficult to reach its target regarding food security," he explained.
To improve understanding of the agriculture sector, the government wants to conduct studies. According to the agriculture ministry, they have achieved a "first" this year: the Hassan II fund just granted 25 million dirhams for a strategic study of agriculture.
"This is a clear signal, because never before has such an amount been released to fund a study in the sector," declared the agriculture minister.
The comprehensive analysis will help the country react if this season is marked by a continuation of the drought.
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Philippe DOL Posted 2007-12-10
Hello Everyone, Several months ago I joined an awareness group. Since then, I have come to realize that our petitions are all very similar, each being directed towards the wellbeing of our farms. You, we and the farm workers all have a different philosophy then those people “working in the bureaus” and who do all the thinking for us. It is nice of them to want to help us find solutions to the current situation of our climate, but what exactly are they doing? Nothing, except collecting taxes and tariffs and redistributing equally while guarding a small percent for themselves. They have still not understood anything about our demands. They think that having some cash means having materials, livestock in good health and productive land. But, that is just not the case! What we are lacking is an education on how to use these new materials, more motivated professors of agriculture, more practical diplomas, education centres for women and preparatory schools for adults. But, what is most important is WATER. We need professional business that will find and pipe water to us. We also need to direct our efforts to a more practical agriculture, consisting of improving soils with less degradable fertilizers that remain at the foot of the plant for several years. I found a French business that provides such provides such fertilizers and can solve water issues for animals and land. Consumption of water would decrease 60 percent when watering 3 times per month, allow for a 40 percent increase in livestock and a 20 percent increase in livestock health. I would like to say “thank you” to this business. This is quite an investment. In order to level with it, it would be necessary to form cooperatives. But, you would see results beginning May 2008 if you put in a request before the end of December.
ياسر Posted 2008-03-14
Salam alaikoum. Greetings to all my brother, please present special information about raising bees and its role in improving agriculture. I have been looking for six months for a map of plants in Morocco and the blooming periods of plants and trees, but haven’t had any success. Please provide more information of interest.
احلام Posted 2008-05-06
This topic is very nice and great.
احلام Posted 2008-05-06
This topic is not nice.
حــــيـــــــــاة Posted 2008-05-26
Salam alikoum. I want information about some environmental and organizational problems endured by agriculture and suggest some solutions to this. Thank you. Your sister Hayat.
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