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Strengthening the attractiveness and the resilience of the agricultural sector in rural areas is a pillar of the strategy Generation Green (2020-2030). This is also one of the main objectives of the program IHYAE (Rebirth, resurrection), initiated in 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union.
Funded to the tune of 760 million dirhams, This program aims to promote agricultural entrepreneurship and facilitate the transition to more ecological practices in three regions: Oriental, Fès-Meknes and Souss-Massa. On Wednesday October 2, Agadir, the capital of Souss, hosted the second meeting of the Regional Coordination Committee to draw up a first annual assessment of a program which extends until 2027.
“We have implemented structuring actions for the region in collaboration with actors engaged in the promotion of sustainable, resilient and inclusive agriculture”, declared Nor-Eddine InsideRegional Director of Agriculture (DRA) of Souss-Massa, where the main results obtained are as follows:
– More than 130 cooperatives benefited from support programs, capacity building and essential equipment;
– 372 projects in the agricultural and para-agricultural sectors currently being launched;
– Establishment of specific support for farmers within the framework of agro-ecology;
– Launch of renovations of agricultural vocational training establishments.
Supporting small farms
Small farms dominate the national agricultural landscape, increasing its fragility in the face of the new climate situation. One of the components of the IHYAE program consists precisely of improve the resilience of the most fragile farmers. This involves the introduction of new production techniques, such as direct seeding. A no-till sowing technique to preserve soil structure, reduce erosion and improve water management.
“Several seeders were distributed to farmers in order to encourage them to use semi-direct, while supporting them on a technical level,” says Mohamed Amine Dani, responsible for technical assistance for the IHYAE program. In addition, the initiative focuses on agro-ecology and production systems that rely on the functionalities offered by ecosystems.
A call for expressions of interest (43,2 MDH) was launched in May 2024 “to pre-select national and international NGOs for the implementation of agro-ecology projects in targeted circles”, specifies the document of the call for expressions of interest. In the Souss-Massa region, the circles concerned are Ighrem, Taliouine and Foum Zguid.
In addition to being profitable, these projects will have the obligation to promote local knowledge and resilient traditional practices such as the collection and conservation of rainwater, the use of organic fertilizers (mature manure, compost) and crop rotation. “The launch of the selected projects is planned for the end of 2024”, specifies the technical assistance manager of the IHYAE program.
Strengthen the attractiveness of the agricultural sector
This year, around three hundred cooperatives benefited from the IHYAE program, “through personalized support in line with their needs”, assures our interlocutor. An analysis of the performance of the structures was carried out beforehand. The cooperatives concerned were divided into three categories:
– High-performance cooperatives that only need one business support;
– Cooperatives that require assistance at the chain level of the production and marketing;
– Cooperatives that require global support, at the level of governance, strengthening production and marketing capacities.
It turns out that 70% of the structures diagnosed are efficient, but require marketing support. “Support for marketing includes the construction of infrastructure and support for promotion. The program helps them access sales platforms, such as trade fairs, solidarity markets and supermarkets,” emphasizes Mohamed Amine Dani.
Concerning support at the level of production capacities, one of the examples highlighted is that of certain cooperatives which produce safran in Taliouine. “The objective is to improve their productivity by equipping them with drying, packaging and sorting equipment”, he adds.
The IHYAE program also supports entrepreneurship in agricultural services, helping budding entrepreneurs capitalize on agricultural and para-agricultural activities. Regional centers for young agricultural entrepreneurs (CRJEA) play a central role. “This component aims to bring out agricultural and para-agricultural entrepreneurs because there is a need for upstream services, such as the sale of inputs, or downstream, such as fruit tree pruning services or irrigation systems”, says Mr. Dani.
Furthermore, in vocational training establishments, improvements have been made to the curriculum and renovations have been launched to ensure better reception conditions, particularly for female students. “In the Souss-Massa region, agricultural vocational training establishments Oulad Teima et Tiznit benefit from support for the redevelopment of boarding schools”, concludes our interlocutor.
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