Morocco to allocate $20 billion to modernise farms
2008-04-23
Morocco will earmark $20.67 billion to upgrade and diversify the farming sector, Reuters quoted Agriculture Minister Aziz Akhennouch as saying on Tuesday (April 22nd). "Morocco's agriculture must become an engine to expand the country's economic growth, boost exports and fight poverty," Akhennouch said. Agriculture employs 15m farmers and their families in Morocco, and accounts for 20% of the country's GDP. Describing other improvements to Moroccan agriculture, Akhennouch said cereals would be replaced with more lucrative crops such as olives. Such a plan, he said, "is expected to create 1 million new jobs in rural areas and to increase the contribution of the farming sector to GDP by 70-100 billion dirhams".
This content was commissioned for Magharebia.com.
Loading






nounou Posted 2008-05-05
For the last ten years the Algerian Minister, Barkat has been in office and we have been importing potatoes, onions and so on. We are jealous of our neighbours. Those who govern us have broken our arms with imports. The US has given Morocco 20 billion to encourage agriculture. Bravo, King Hassan. I wish you good health!
nounou Posted 2008-05-07
No, I am Moroccan, I'm only kidding I'm makhzani. I want to spread discord between Algerians. Help me! LOL!
Ahmed Posted 2008-05-09
Stop getting these poor farmers drunk off your statistics. I wonder where this minister is going to find this money when I see that Morocco is unable to cope with the price of oil and, like always, it needs a Gulf country to help it out. This time, it is Saudi Arabia that has gifted it $500 million. And, whatever its policies may be, it will still be an importer of wheat like Algeria. I wonder how the media and, more importantly, the former people in charge of the international financial institutions like the respectable Michel Candessus, the former General Director of the IMF, who said that Morocco was an emerging country. Why was this phrase not uttered in New York? To be logical and objective, an emerging country does not need one check coming from here and another from there. Bye all.
We welcome your comments on Magharebia's articles.
It is our hope that you will use this forum to interact with other readers across the Maghreb. In order to keep this experience interesting, we ask you to follow the rules outlined in the comments policy. By submitting comments, you are consenting to these rules. While Magharebia.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. Magharebia.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
Magharebia's Comments Policy