Morocco/Al Hoceima Province: agricultural development projects are making great strides

The Minister inaugurated a unit of recovery and drying of figs and dried fruit in the province of Al Hoceima. He also ensured the progress of construction sites of rural roads in the region, as well as the project of raising dairy goats and valorization of production.

The agricultural development projects are going well in the region of Al Hoceima. Indeed, the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forestry, Mohammed Sadiki, made a field visit to the province to learn about the progress of several agricultural projects. Thus, at the level of the territorial commune, Beni Abdallah, the Minister visited the construction project of a unit of recovery and drying of figs and packaging of dried fruit.

This unit, which is installed on an area of 251 square meters, requires a total investment cost of 2.2 million dirhams. Its establishment aims to increase the capacity of agricultural production of figs and dried fruit and ensure the marketing of agricultural production in the region. It should be recalled that the sector figs in the province of Al Hoceima has experienced significant growth, with a total area exceeding 6,811 hectares, including 3,357 hectares planted under the Green Morocco Plan.

Note that this sector creates more than 102,000 days of work and generates a production of 4,400 tons whose value exceeds 44 MDH. The Minister also took note of data relating to the agricultural plan of the province under the strategy Generation Green 2020-2030, and which aims to give priority to the human element, ensuring access to 3.The plan aims to prioritize the human element, ensuring access to 3,300 families to the agricultural middle class, the coverage of 1,865 ha by agricultural insurance, the generalization of medical coverage to 24,000 farmers, the creation of 207 new agricultural organizations and the planting of 9,780 ha in the framework of solidarity agriculture.

It is also to continue the dynamics of agricultural development by increasing the gross domestic product of agriculture to 3.8 MMDH, creating 15 new unitss of valorization, by building a modern weekly market, a livestock market and 3 slaughterhouses approved, by modernizing the irrigation perimeters on an area of 1.500 ha and equipping 600 ha of agricultural land with renewable energy irrigation systems.

Development of ruraltracks
As part of the program to reduce spatial and social disparities in rural areas 2017-2022 of the province of Al Hoceima, and at the level of the territorial municipality Izmouren, the Minister has ensured the progress of projects to develop rural tracks. This program involves, in fact, 12 territorial municipalities, which is equivalent to 90.4 km and whose investment is 129.5 million dirhams. In its communication, the Ministry recalled that the development program aims to open up the hilly areas and facilitate access of farmers to agricultural areas and improve the conditions for development and marketing of agricultural products.

Dairy goat breeding project
As part of his tour in the province of Al Hoceima, the Minister visited a project to raise dairy goats and valorize their production, in the territorial commune Izmouren. This project aims to ensure the supply of the local market in goat milk and its derivatives, as well as to create employment opportunities and diversify the sources of income of farmers beneficiaries.

Note that the project, which benefits several rural women, consists of the acquisition of 90 dairy goats, the acquisition and distribution of breeding equipment and the construction of a unit for the collection and processing of milk. Launched with an overall investment of 4 MDH, the project has reached a completion rate of 35%. Note that on the occasion of his visit, the Minister also presided over an operation to distribute goats to rural women in difficult circumstances who have experience in livestock, and who have sufficient irrigated land to produce fodder for livestock.

For the sustainability of projects of the Green Morocco Plan, the Minister proceeded on the sidelines of this visit, the distribution of tools for the maintenance of fruit trees under the program "Awrach". He also proceeded to the distribution of equipment for the benefit of cooperatives working in the field of local products. Note that Mohammed Sadiki was accompanied by the Governor of the Province of Al Hoceima, the President of the Provincial Council of Al Hoceima, the PrePresident of the Chamber of Agriculture of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima and a large delegation of officials from the Ministry.

Source: leseco.ma