Morocco receives $116 million AfDB support for sustainable agriculture

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €100 million ($116.4 million) loan to support sustainable agriculture initiatives in Morocco.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €100 million ($116.4 million) loan to support sustainable agriculture initiatives in Morocco, with a focus on empowering women and young people.

Announced on Monday, the financing aims to enhance food security and build resilience among small-scale farmers in the face of climate change, the AfDB said in a statement.

“Women who have the ambition to undertake and succeed in agriculture are our priority,” said Achraf Tarsim, the AfDB’s country manager for Morocco.

Decades-long commitment to Morocco

The loan builds on a longstanding partnership between the AfDB and Morocco. Over the past 50 years, the Bank has invested €15 billion ($17.46 billion) across 180 projects in Morocco, spanning infrastructure, energy, water, agriculture, social protection, governance, and finance.

In 2023 alone, the AfDB approved €254 million in new commitments to Morocco, including support for the country’s green transition and digital transformation goals.

Morocco’s agricultural sector accounts for roughly 12% of GDP and employs nearly 30% of the country's workforce, according to World Bank data. However, it remains highly dependent on rainfall and faces growing risks from climate change.

In 2022, Morocco experienced its worst drought in four decades, causing a sharp drop in cereal production, from 10.3 million tonnes in 2021 to just 3.4 million tonnes, according to Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture.

With over 70% of Moroccan farmers being small-scale producers, many lack access to irrigation, financing, and technology, making them particularly vulnerable to weather shocks and soil degradation.

— Business Insider Africa 

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