Morocco's government has mobilised 121,000 hectares of state-owned agricultural land for 1,700 projects, representing around US$2.4 billion in total investment and generating approximately 69,000 jobs. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch announced the measures while outlining policies aimed at supporting development and employment in rural and mountainous areas across the country.
Speaking in parliament in response to questions on support for very small and small enterprises, Akhannouch said new frameworks have been introduced to guide young agricultural project leaders. These include regional centres for young agricultural and agrifood entrepreneurs, which have been established in all regions to provide structured technical and financial accompaniment.
Support for youth agricultural cooperatives has also been reinforced under solidarity agriculture initiatives. According to the Prime Minister, around 13,800 young people are benefiting from support and guidance activities linked to 5,200 projects across different programs.
In parallel with the mobilisation of state-owned land, nearly one million hectares of collective land have been activated through governance systems and integrated accompaniment mechanisms aimed at agricultural project leaders. Authorities have also assessed the agricultural potential of 324,000 hectares of fallow land. This process has led to the approval of 3,053 rental projects and the signing of partnership agreements covering 35,000 hectares of collective land through provincial rental commissions.
Akhannouch said recent changes to Morocco's investment policy have reshaped the country's development framework. These adjustments are intended to strengthen regional capacity to implement economic revitalisation and entrepreneurship programs, while incorporating territorial considerations into employment and social development planning.
The government's current approach combines land access with technical and financial support structures designed to facilitate entry into the agricultural sector for young project leaders. The stated objective is to improve land utilisation, address rural employment constraints, and support agricultural production and food supply objectives within national development strategies.
Source: The North Africa Post
