Monday, June 17, 2024 at 4:14 p.m.
Rabat – The Moulouya Regional Agricultural Development Office (ORMVAO) held, recently in Rabat, the first session of its board of directors for the year 2024, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture , Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki.
A press release from the ministry indicates that the work of this meeting was devoted to examining the assessment of the technical and financial achievements of ORMVAM, the financial audit report for the year 2023 and the results of the current agricultural season. .
The same source notes that the 2022-2023 agricultural campaign was marked by a rainfall deficit of 50% compared to the average of the last 31 seasons, accompanied by a shortage of resources from dams in the region, noting however that several major projects were launched in the Oriental region, including the modern slaughterhouse of Berkane and the strengthening of the drinking water supply to the towns of Zayou and Nador.
It also concerns the modernization of irrigation, the integrated rural development project in the mountainous areas of the Oriental (PADERMO), as well as the organization of an awareness meeting in Nador on securing the irrigation water in the Moulouya area through the seawater desalination project.
Concerning the results for the year 2023, the press release emphasizes the implementation of important projects included in the framework of the “Green Generation” plan and the 2020-2027 drinking water supply and irrigation program. in the ORMVAM intervention zone.
In this regard, 39,683 hectares were mobilized for the 2022-2023 agricultural campaign (59% of the objective set by 2030) and 632 hectares of collective land were developed (5.9% of the objective set by 2030), in addition to the selection of 20 projects eligible for bank financing, the creation of 35 new cooperatives and the launch of several citrus and planting projects of olive trees, almond trees, fig trees and cacti.
Agricultural development projects also concern the rehabilitation and maintenance of several hydro-agricultural structures, the adoption of drought-resistant crops as well as the development of several water points.
As for the drinking water supply and irrigation program (2020-2027), it mainly revolves around the development of water points for livestock, the adoption of drip irrigation and the modernization of hydro-agricultural equipment.
Note that as part of the regional program to reduce the impact of rainfall deficits, breeders in the region benefited, during the year 2023, from the distribution operation of 147,218 quintals of subsidized barley, 22,445 quintals of compound fodder and 24,854 quintals of nitrogen fertilizers.
The members of the board of directors praised the work carried out by ORMVAO to contribute to the agricultural development of Oriental, emphasizing the need to provide it with the necessary resources for the realization of the projects included in the “Green Generation” plan.
The Minister of Agriculture congratulated, on this occasion, the management of ORMVAO for the results achieved and the governance system put in place, while emphasizing the need to mobilize all energies for the implementation implementation of the new agricultural strategy in the Oriental region.
