Rabat – Morocco’s Agriculture Ministry opened on Friday a tender for a $213 million project in Dakhla, a major coastal city in southwestern Morocco.
The agriculture ministry is now calling on private and public companies to submit their applications for the project that would rehabilitate 52 square kilometers of unused land, according to converging sources.
As part of the project, companies would be expected to turn formerly unused land into farmland that would be irrigated with the use of a wind-powered desalination plant, reports indicate.
In line with Morocco’s strategy to boost economic activities in its western provinces, the farms would consist of plans for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables as well as producing animal feed.
Set to receive 77% of its funding from the Moroccan state, the project is part of a $7 billion development plan that Morocco first introduced in 2015. The well-funded plan aims to boost western provinces’ infrastructure and improve their prospects of attracting business opportunities.
In addition to boosting national economic inclusivity, the project also addresses a rising concern in Morocco relating to water scarcity. The wind-powered desalination plant used in the project is set to keep the farms in Dakhla self-sufficient, instead of being reliant on rainfall as is the case with the bulk of agriculture in the country.
In recent years, Dakhla has especially been a focal point for a wide range of state-backed investments to improve the city’s infrastructure. The Dakhla Atlantic Port, a $3.3 billion project, is a prime example of the country’s efforts to aim to stimulate the emergence of Dakhla as a go-to business destination.
Currently under construction, the port is scheduled to become operational around 2030.
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