Moroccan farmer's "biggest ally in the field" boosts olive production

Author:: AfDB
Publisher:: African Development Bank
Publication Date:: 2 May 2020
Tags:: Morocco, Agribusiness, Energy, Food and Agriculture, Investment

Olive farmer Ahmed Hassani calls electricity his biggest ally in the field. Over the past few decades, Morocco has made great strides towards electrifying the entire country. Rural areas have seen coverage increase from 18% in the mid 1990s to nearly 100% currently. Rural electrification has sparked new opportunities for communities across Morocco, making it possible for new schools, hospitals and shops to open - and paving the way for better living conditions for millions. Hassani has benefitted from gaining access to the electricity required to power his irrigation system. Increased productivity translates to increased income. "Electricity encouraged me to go on," Hassani said. "Without it, I would have given up." The father of four inherited a plot of land from his parents that had previously been unproductive. Using an electricity-powered irrigation system, he transformed his plot into an olive grove and solved the problem. In just a few years, Hassani, who now also grows barley, saw his field come to life. With €155 million in funding from the African Development Bank, the government's Global Rural Electrification Programme has connected close to 12.7 million Moroccans like Hassani to the grid.