MOROCCO: The World Bank lends €163 million for agriculture in the face of drought

Morocco is experiencing its worst drought in nearly four decades. The disaster has led authorities to fear a severe shortage of drinking water this year. According to the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture, the drought is expected to gradually intensify across the Kingdom of Morocco until 2050 as a result of a drop in rainfall (-11%) and an increase in temperature of + 1.3°C.

To finance its fight against this worrying drought, the country requested and obtained a loan from the World Bank. The Bretton Woods institution is allocating 163 million euros. These funds will support resilient and sustainable agriculture projects throughout the country in the face of climate change and the scarcity of water resources. In concrete terms, the aim is to improve the quality of irrigation services and facilitate farmers’ access to technical advice in an area that contributes 21% of Morocco’s gross domestic product (GDP). Almost 39% of the country’s employment depends on it, according to official figures.