King Mohammed VI has ordered the Government to adopt a set of emergency measures to cope with the impact of the drought affecting farmers, the Royal Office said in a statement.
The statement was issued after King Mohammed VI received on Wednesday at the royal residence in Bouznika, the head of government Aziz Akhannouch and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mr. Mohamed Sadiki.
Under this exceptional program, 10 billion dirhams ($1 billion) will be allocated to mitigate the effects of the delayed rainfall, alleviate its impact on the agricultural activity and provide assistance to the affected farmers and herders.
Hassan II fund for economic and social development will contribute by 3 billion dirhams to the program, the Royal Office statement said.
This program focuses on three main aspects, namely the protection of animal and plant capital and the management of water scarcity; agricultural insurance; and the reduction of financial burdens on farmers and professionals, the financing of operations to supply the national market in wheat and fodder, in addition to the funding of innovative investments in the field of irrigation.