By Faridat Salifu
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has granted the sum of €84 million to Morocco to improve its water management in forest regions in response to the increasing effects of climate change.
The Morocco’s agriculture had been affected by drought for some years and since 2020 the government has taken proactive steps to bolster the country’s resilience.
Under the Support Project for the Inclusive and Sustainable Development of Forest Areas, the Moroccan government plans to invest in the rejuvenation of forest areas and the restoration of degraded land affected by erosion in key catchment areas such as Ghiss, Bouregreg, Seksaoua, and Sidi Abdallah.
Efforts to promote sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation will be carried out in the Al-Hoceima, Souss Massa, Talassamtane, and Toubkal national parks.
Additionally, the government aims to foster forest entrepreneurship among youth by establishing incubation structures in Tétouan and Souss Massa.
The project, part of the “Forêts du Maroc 2020-2030” strategy led by the Agence nationale des eaux et forêts (Anef), will receive €100 million in funding from Rabat.
Over the next eight years, approximately 6.5 million rural residents in regions including Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, Marrakech-Safi, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, and Souss-Massa are expected to benefit from the initiative.
The AfDB predicts that the project will not only support sustainable resource management but also facilitate the rise of a rural middle class in Morocco.
