Ighil (Al — Haouz) - Agriculture Minister Mohamed Sadiki on Tuesday embarked on a field visit to the Al Haouz province to kickstart an urgent program aimed at reconstructing, rehabilitating, and upgrading agricultural activities in regions hit by a seismic event on September 8th.
Agriculture Minister Mohamed Sadiki on Tuesday embarked on a field visit to the Al Haouz province to kickstart an urgent program aimed at reconstructing, rehabilitating, and upgrading agricultural activities in regions hit by a seismic event on September 8th.
The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests assessed the progress of implementing the emergency program, which is spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture in the provinces of Al Haouz and Chichaoua, during his visit to the territorial commune of Ighil.
The emergency program, with a combined budget of MAD 262 million for the two provinces, is designed to expedite the recovery of areas most affected by the earthquake, benefiting around 49,300 individuals.
Its main components include support for livestock sectors, involving the distribution of approximately 352,000 quintals of barley free of charge and replacing lost livestock (approximately 22,000 heads).
Additionally, it encompasses repairing 201 damaged irrigation channels over a length of 65 kilometers, allowing irrigation for approximately 1,400 hectares.
The program also involves the repair and reconstruction of 26 value-added units for 34 cooperatives involved in local product projects and the repair of damaged agricultural tracks covering 11 kilometers.
During his visit to the same commune, the minister initiated the distribution of free barley to livestock breeders in the most severely affected territorial communes in the provinces of Al Haouz and Chichaoua.
This operation, spanning both provinces, provides 352,000 quintals of barley for roughly 37,000 livestock breeders, funded with MAD 134 million.
The minister also launched a livestock vaccination campaign conducted by the National Food Safety Office (ONSSA). This campaign covers all cattle, sheep, goats, and camels in the two provinces, with a budget of MAD 5.8 million.
In the territorial commune of Talat n'Yacoub within the Al Haouz province, the minister, accompanied by the governor of Al Haouz province, Rachid Benchikhi, inaugurated the first phase of repairing the damaged irrigation channels, allowing for irrigation on approximately 75 hectares.
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This project is part of the emergency program to repair small and medium-scale hydraulic systems in the two provinces, covering a total length of 65 kilometers, which will enable irrigation on about 1,400 hectares for the benefit of 2,800 small-scale farmers.
The program has a total budget of MAD 53 million and seeks to revitalize the affected horticultural sectors.
In a press statement, Sadiki explained that the launch of the emergency program aligns with the directives of HM King Mohammed VI. He emphasized that the program covers various aspects, such as subsidies for animal production, free distribution of barley, animal health through vaccination, rehabilitation and modernization of irrigation channels, connecting rural communities, and restructuring the region's productive fabric.
Sadiki also stressed the importance of an ambitious program aimed at accelerating and strengthening agricultural and development projects in areas affected by the earthquake.
This program aligns with the Génération Green agricultural development strategy and its related projects, intending to promote agricultural and rural development in these areas.
The program's ultimate goal, as outlined by the minister, is to generate wealth, diversify activities, promote local agricultural products, improve income levels for the local population, and reinforce the Génération Green strategy.
This comprehensive initiative represents a significant step toward revitalizing earthquake-impacted regions and ensuring their sustainable development.
