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Join on Telegram Rabat – Morocco continues its battle against drought, which has greatly marred the country’s agriculture season.
On Thursday, Morocco’s Agriculture Minister Ahmed Bouari said the rainfall for this current season is weak compared to the past 30 years.
He asserted that his department has taken a series of measures, including initiatives to help farmers by providing seeds for autumn grains amounting to around 1.3 million quintals.
The minister said that the initiative also includes bolstering the supply of nitrogen fertilizers which amount to nearly 200,000 tons.
Bouari also announced a program that has been developed to support the livestock production sector, including feeding animals with subsidized fodder for breeders.
The ministry’s objective is to improve the production of sheep and goats.
Morocco has been resorting to several other initiatives to address the drought, including importing meat as well as live animals for consumption.
The government is defending its strategy, urging the need to stabilize meat prices and ensure a steady supply in the Moroccan market.
Moroccans consumption awareness
However, a recent study by marketing company Sunergia and L’Economiste shows divided awareness among Moroccans as to whether their food is imported or local.
The survey shows that 70% of Moroccans know about Morocco’s import strategy, while 30% of the population does not.
Men (75%) and older individuals (79% of those over 65) appear better informed. Awareness is also higher among upper-income groups (77%), compared to lower-income households (65%).
Around 65% never check meat labels before purchasing.
Only 30% make an effort to verify the origin, a habit more common among women (34%) than men (27%). Among those aware of imports, just 15% knowingly eat imported meat, while 66% avoid it entirely and 19% remain unsure.
Amid drought concerns, many Moroccans take issue with the management of water reserves, complaining about the exports and the production of water-thirsty crops like avocado.
Recent data shared by FreshPlaza shows that Morocco exported 42,000 tons of avocado from October to December last year.
“The forecast for the 2024/2025 harvest is around 90,000 tons, with expectations to export between 80,000 to 90,000 tons, leaving approximately 10% for the domestic market,” the news outlet said.
In 2023, Moroccan member of parliament Fatima Tamni said “45,000 tons of avocados would consume more than 40 billion liters of water which Moroccans would have otherwise used for their daily needs.”
She called on the government to provide answers on what measures Morocco is taking to counter the growing water crisis and how the ministry will replace the water-intensive crops with less wasteful ones.
