30/06/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 29 June, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) granted Morocco a loan of €32 million to co-finance construction of an irrigation infrastructure project. The award comes from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). “In Morocco, extreme water shortage is exacerbated”, the Bank says in a press release, “by the effects of climate change and the unsustainable use of underground water”, leading to a drop in underground reserves and presenting “a severe threat to farming and the livelihoods” of rural populations. The Bank states: “Through to this project, we are encouraging greater involvement of the private sector and we are contributing to the development of the country’s agriculture, a key sector which accounts for 40% of all employment”. (FB)