In Rabat, the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Waters and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki assured that the exceptional program aimed at mitigating the effects of the delay in rainfall is based on direct support, insurance agriculture and the alleviation of the financial burdens of farmers.
Developed in execution of the high guidelines of King Mohammed VI, this program, which will require an overall financial envelope estimated at 10 billion dirhams, revolves around three main axes, based on direct support to farmers and breeders through seven areas of intervention, explained the Minister of Agriculture.
In a statement to the press after a meeting chaired by the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch, Sadiki said that the areas of intervention of this program are to save livestock with regard to subsidized fodder ( barley and compound fodder), livestock watering and health monitoring of sheep, goats, cows and camels.
In addition, the program will make it possible to deal with the problem of irrigation of trees in the bour areas, as well as the support and strengthening of small hydro-agricultural projects that employ labor and fall within the framework of solidarity agriculture, underlined the Minister.
Currently, and with regard to agricultural insurance, Mohamed Saddiki revealed that the area insured reaches one million hectares for one billion dirhams (MMDH), adding that the Moroccan Agricultural Mutual Insurance Company (MAMDA) will accelerate the compensation operation for farmers in the affected areas, in a gradual manner and according to the situation.
The Minister thus praised the efforts made by the Crédit Agricole du Maroc group, which has doubled the financing envelope mobilized for this year to reach 6 billion dirhams and which includes several intervention programs, noting that the group will process farmers’ debts through the rescheduling of loans.
During this year, the rainfall deficit reached about -67% compared to a normal campaign and -64% compared to the past year, which impacted vegetation, in general, as well as cereal crops. and pastures to trickle down to livestock and fruit trees planted under the Solidarity Agriculture program.
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