Al Haouz Earthquake: Planned projects in the agricultural sector have been completed or have reached their final stages
Heba Press / Rabat
The planned projects in the agricultural sector, especially those that have been completed or have reached the final stages, have enabled the return of agricultural activities in the areas affected by the earthquake of September 8 last year.
A press release from the Regional Directorate of Agriculture of Marrakech-Safi explained that the results of the emergency program in favor of the agricultural sector in the regions of Chichaoua and Al Haouz, formulated and implemented in application of the High Royal Instructions, are very positive and important achievements have been made in the sector.
The same source emphasizes that the financial coverage allocated to the various axes amounts to 185 million dirhams for the benefit of 42,000 farmers affected in the areas concerned.
Regarding the reconstitution of livestock in disaster areas, this axis aims to enable disaster-stricken farmers to reconstitute the livestock lost following the earthquake, by distributing barley free of charge and vaccinating their livestock in the interest of the Regional Directorate of Agriculture. Food safety.
Around 30,100 breeders benefited from this operation, obtaining a total amount of 229,200 quintals of barley, with financial coverage of 71 million dirhams.
The second operation concerns the free distribution of sheep and goats to breeders who have lost their livestock. 25,000 heads of sheep and goats were distributed to 2,500 breeders in the disaster areas, with a financial envelope of 41.8 million dirhams.
In connection with the axis of rehabilitation and preparation of the canals damaged by the earthquake, which aims to preserve fruit trees and allow farmers to resume their activities in small and medium irrigation circles, the regional and regional directorates of the Ministry of Agriculture, immediately after the tragedy, launched emergency workshops to purify the damaged canals in order to resume irrigation while waiting for the start of the process of recovery and rehabilitation of these waterways.
In this regard, during this year, all preparation and maintenance works were completed and completed, including 193 water wheels extending over a length of 68.8 km, at a financial cost of 50.8 million dirhams, the report added.
Regarding the restoration and repair of damaged regional product valorization units, the same source indicated that among the losses inflicted by the earthquake on agricultural infrastructure in the wilayas of Al Haouz and Chichaoua, various damages were recorded in 26 regional product valorization units.
He explained that these units were completed within the framework of the Green Morocco Plan and the Green Generation Strategy, and that four of them were seriously damaged, which led to their complete demolition in preparation for their reconstruction.
He confirmed that the other units have undergone repair and restoration operations, as work has been completed on four units, while the remaining works have reached their final phase.
A financial envelope of 13.7 million dirhams was allocated to this operation for the benefit of 34 professional organizations, mostly women’s cooperatives, which were able, through this program, to resume their activities and participate in national and international fairs.
Regarding the axis of rehabilitation and preparation of rural paths affected by the earthquake, the press release from the Regional Directorate of Agriculture indicated that the objective is to break the isolation of approximately 2,500 farmers in 6 districts, through the preparation and rehabilitation of 10.7 km in the Chichaoua region, with a financial envelope amounting to 7.86 million dirhams.
These significant achievements in the agricultural sector are the result of the mobilization of all interests of the Ministry of Agriculture at the central, regional and district levels to provide the necessary assistance to the population.
In the Marrakech-Safi region, and particularly in the local authorities most affected by the earthquake in the Al Haouz and Chichaoua regions, local committees were created comprising executives from the decentralized services of the Ministry of Agriculture, the authorities and elected officials, responsible for carrying out census operations and assessing the damage caused by the earthquake to agricultural infrastructure and production chains, have drawn up lists of affected farmers.
The communication concludes that, based on the results of this diagnosis and the field assessment by the joint commissions, an emergency programme has been prepared for the agricultural sector in order to provide rapid support to farmers and to rehabilitate and develop agricultural activities in the areas affected by the earthquake.
