Brussels, 08/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Helping to develop a modern agriculture system whilst ensuring the effective and sustainable management of water resources: this is the purpose of a loan of €42.5 million granted on Thursday 4 October by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to the Kingdom of Morocco in favour of the “Green Morocco Plan”.
The aim of this plan is to develop modern agriculture with strong added value, capable of increasing the yield and diversity of crops whilst promoting sustainable irrigation solutions. In environmental terms, this would lead to savings of water between 20% and 50%, together with a reduction of deficits recorded in terms of the irrigation parameters of the public water system.
The EIB funding will help to convert 21,405 hectares of collective irrigation networks into localised irrigation, for example by fitting farms with more efficient irrigation systems (drip systems) and technical assistance adapted to the requirements of the project. Nearly 8,000 small farms will benefit from this funding in the regions of Gharb-Kenitra, Haouz-Marrakech and Souss-Massa-Agadir. (OL/transl.fl)