The National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture (ANDA) said Thursday that 168 aquaculture projects have started their activities this year in different regions of Morocco, for an investment of 869 million dirhams.
Out of 259 agreements for the creation and operation of aquaculture farms published in the Official Bulletin at the end of the year 2021, 168 projects have started the installation of their farms in the different regions of the Kingdom for a future production of more than 80,000 tonnes. / year and the creation of more than 2,000 jobs, said ANDA in a press release on the occasion of the 18th session of its Board of Directors.
A session, chaired Wednesday by the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, whose work was devoted to examining the results of ANDA’s achievements under 2021 and the presentation of its action plan and estimated budget for 2022
In addition to these projects being installed, ANDA launched, from March 3 to June 2, a call for expressions of interest for the realization of new aquaculture projects in the regions of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Souss-Massa, Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima and l’Oriental, after which more than 100 aquaculture farm projects are selected for a target production of 100,000 tonnes / year, added the same source. Regarding solidarity aquaculture, ANDA announces that it also provides administrative and technical support for 116 social aquaculture projects, carried by groups of young entrepreneurs and cooperatives of women and fishermen in order to support them in the realization of their projects.
To ensure the inclusion of this category, the Department of Maritime Fisheries has set up a structuring program aimed at providing financial support for these social projects for a budget of 129 million dirhams. In addition to technical, administrative and financial support, a theoretical and practical training program in the aquaculture profession is being carried out for the benefit of young entrepreneurs and cooperatives in partnership with the Department of Maritime Fisheries for which ANDA has put in place. places three educational farms at Dakhla, Agadir and Ras Al Ma.
In the same vein and aware of the importance of capacity building in aquaculture, the Department of Maritime Fisheries of the Ministry, ANDA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have launched, with the support of Norway and the Netherlands, a project to support the development of aquaculture professions in Morocco for an amount of 2.5 million dollars, which provides for the installation of a demonstration and training station for fish farming and shellfish farming in Sidi Ifni.
In terms of coastal planning for aquaculture purposes, five regional aquaculture development plans have been drawn up in the regions of Guelmim-Oued-Noun, Laâyoune Sakia El Hamra, Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi and the lagoon. de Marchica, highlighting an aquaculture potential exceeding 8,000 hectares.
Regarding the Agency’s action plan for the year 2022, ANDA has indicated that it is broken down into 20 structuring projects and 50 actions dedicated to aquaculture professions to give a significant boost to development. of the aquaculture sector. They revolve around the establishment of legislative and regulatory provisions governing aquaculture, planning for aquaculture purposes to identify new potentials and create aquaculture poles in all coastal regions with aquaculture potential and the facilitation of access to aquaculture inputs, as well as the strengthening of the system of advice, guidance and support for aquaculture projects and the establishment of pilot demonstration projects.
They also relate to the structuring of the distribution network and support for the marketing of aquaculture products, the strengthening of the digitization of ANDA’s businesses, the mobilization of donors for financing the sector and capacity building in aquaculture.
At the end of its work, the Board of Directors validated the action plan and the provisional budget of ANDA for the year 2022, the press release concluded.
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