Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, chaired on June 13 in Rabat the signing ceremony of a framework agreement between several ministers and representatives from the agricultural sector on the implementation of the Rainfall Deficit Impact Reduction Program, in line with the High Royal Directives.
As part of this ambitious initiative, the government has allocated a budget of about MAD 10 billion to this program, which covers three main areas, notably the protection of animal capital, the protection of plant capital, and support agricultural sectors, in addition to strengthening the financing capabilities of Crédit Agricole.
For the protection of animal capital, MAD 5 billion will be devoted to supporting barley and imported feed for livestock and poultry, while 4 billion dirhams will be allocated to protecting plant capital and support sectors, including subsidizing the input price such as seeds and fertilizers. Among these areas, tomato, onion, and potato cultivation will receive special attention, with an allocation of MAD 1.7 billion.
The Rainfall Deficit Impact Reduction Program aims to reduce the cost of producing vegetables and fruit, which suffered rising input prices. Accordingly, subsidies will also be granted for tomato seeds (MAD 1 billion), certified potato seeds (MAD 580 million), and the purchase of onion seeds (MAD 120 million). In addition, over MAD 2 billion will be allocated to support fertilizers which have witnessed a rise in price due to the current economic situation.
On this occasion, Akhannouch underlined the special attention that His Majesty King Mohammed VI attaches to the rural population and the agricultural sector in general, recalling the High Royal Directives on the implementation of emergency measures to combat the consequences of drought.
The government official also affirmed the government’s commitment to supporting farmers and livestock breeders to ease their burdens and reduce the cost of agricultural production, emphasizing that the government will gradually work toward restoring the balance of several sectors and boosting those that are affected by the crisis. Structural investments are to be made to strengthen the national agricultural sector’s resilience, in line with several factors, especially those linked to climate.
Akhannouch also called on all the signatories of the framework agreement to ensure optimal implementation of the program with strict adherence to the schedule.
The framework agreement was signed by several key figures, including the French Minister of Economy and Finance, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, the Chairman of the Management Board of the Crédit Agricole Group, and representatives from different professional federations in the agricultural sector.
Under the High Royal Directives, the Moroccan government had already implemented an exceptional program in 2022 to reduce the impact of the rainfall deficit, for a total cost of MAD 10 billion.