Contributing to improving the living conditions of populations in agricultural and rural areas and reducing territorial disparities are the objectives of the Support Program for the Inclusive and Sustainable Development of Agricultural and Rural Areas (PADIDZAR) which will soon be implemented.
The social and environmental studies of this ambitious roadmap drawn up by the Department of Agriculture should start from next April 27 (Deadline for submission of bids on the Moroccan Public Procurement Portal). These aim to identify opportunities for the development of platforms for the valorization of agricultural products in rural areas with the aim of boosting the development of rural agro-industry in Morocco.
PADIDZAR is part of the new agricultural strategy “Green Generation 2020-2030” and the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program (PNAEPI) 2020-2027 adopted by Morocco in 2020. This program consists of to develop and rehabilitate small and medium hydraulic (PMH) perimeters in 7 regions of the Kingdom.
This operation covers 24 agencies in the regions of Drâa-Tafilalet, Souss-Massa, Béni Mellal- Khénifra, Fès-Meknes, Marrakech-Safi, Oriental and Tanger-Tétouan-El Hoceima, which have the greatest irrigable potential in PMH, with nearly 87% of irrigable areas. According to the ministry, these are the most affected by the shortage of irrigation water and require priority interventions to sustain the activity of small farmers, improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of rural areas, the emergence of an agricultural middle class and strengthen the resilience of Moroccan agriculture.
” Given its social and environmental impacts, in particular its contribution to the reduction of social and territorial disparities, the creation of employment in rural areas and the improvement of the adaptation of small-scale agriculture to climate change, the program Padidzar is made a priority of the new agricultural strategy “Green Generation 2020-2030” and of the PNAEPI 2020-2027“, explains the department of Mohammed Sadiki.
It should be recalled that the program has three main areas, namely the development of more efficient, more resilient and sustainable production systems with an allocation of 62.71 million euros, the improvement of value chains in such a way that ‘they are inclusive, efficient and sustainable, with a budget of 28.51 million euros, in addition to strengthening the institutional and sectoral capacities of the agricultural sector for an envelope of 22.81 million euros.
On the other hand, the program activities will facilitate women’s access to factors of production, access to support services in the creation of businesses in rural areas and in the strengthening of entrepreneurial capacities. The PADIDZAR will in particular improve the entrepreneurial spirit and create jobs in rural areas for these women but also for young people, through the development of irrigated areas,
In addition, it will be based on results-based financing in consideration of the advantages it offers for the execution of often “diffuse” interventions in the PMH perimeters spread over a large territory, on the one hand and the possibility coupling of physical development interventions, rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure and rural roads and reform and support measures for farmers and their groups (cooperatives, AUEA, GIE, etc.) in terms of agricultural advice and preparation of young people and women for entrepreneurship, on the other hand, underlines the ministry.