Seminar on agriculture financing in Rabat
Morocco, Agriculture, 2/9/2000

Moroccan and international experts are discussing in Rabat the financing of agriculture and incentives to investments in the agricultural sector.

The two day-seminar that is to wind up this Wednesday is trying to work out a financing strategy implying new mechanisms that are more adapted to Moroccan agriculture, with easier access to small and medium-sized farms' owners.

Addressing the seminar, Prime minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi announced that the government is about to set up an agriculture financing system taking into account the specificities of agriculture activity and farmers' expectations in matters of investments.

Youssoufi who underlined the gaps between the urban and rural worlds in matters of development said poor infrastructure is among the reasons behind the weak volume of investments in the rural world and negatively impacts on farmers' living conditions. The projected system is part of an integrated development program to modernize agriculture, lure youth to work in family farms and involve women in the development process.

Echoing him, minister of agriculture, rural development and fisheries, Habib Malki, said the reorganization of the institutional, juridical and operational frame of the current agriculture financing system is meant to lay the bases for the development of rural finances and ease farmers' access to loans. He pointed out that the loans extended to farmers by both the Caisse National de Credit Agricole (CNCA/agriculture funding bank) and other commercial banks represent only 17% of the needed funds for an agricultural campaign. The needed funds are estimated at $ 3.5 billion (35 billion DH).

The seminar is attended by experts from the World bank and the Food and Agriculture organization.

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