Rabat – Approximately 800,000 farmers currently benefit from social security coverage, bringing Morocco closer to reaching its target of 1.6 million.
Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests Minister Mohammed Sadiki revealed the figures during a hearing session on Monday at Morocco’s House of Representatives, noting that the ministry remains committed to extending the social safety net to the 1.6 million farmers targeted.
To reach that target, the ministry tasked regional agriculture departments with the task of monitoring, implementing, and evaluating the program, the minister explained.
Responding to an MP’s question concerning wildfires affecting Morocco’s oases, Sadiki said that protecting these natural resources is central to his ministry’s strategy.
In 2010, Morocco created the National Agency for Oasis and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA) with the primary goal of coordinating efforts between stakeholders to preserve the country’s oases and Argan trees, the minister explained.
In addition to creating the agency, the ministry inked a three-year funding agreement with the Draa-Tafilalet region, mobilizing MAD 545 million ($54.4 million) to preserve oases across the country.
Having already set in motion a proactive approach to dealing with wildfires that covers prevention and ensures rapid intervention, the ministry will gradually implement the approach nationwide, Sadiki pointed out.
He listed a number of measures that the agriculture ministry had adopted to preserve Morocco’s natural resources, including investing in infrastructure and extending the country’s green spaces.
Morocco’s agriculture sector accounts for an average of 11% of the country’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP) and employs 66% of Morocco’s urban population.
As of this year, however, Morocco’s agriculture sector is heavily dependent on rainfall, making it especially vulnerable to adverse weather.
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