Moroccan irrigation project gets 22 million french loan

The French Development Agency (AFD) and the national office for agriculture promotion in the Gharb region in central Morocco (ORMVAG) signed Wednesday an agreement under which an irrigation project gets a French 22 million USD loan.

The project spanning 7,000 hectares means to promote the East-1 and East-4 sectors in the third stage of the Gharb irrigation scheme, worth a total of 59.4 million USD.

10,000 farmers benefit from the undertaking financed by AFD (37 PC), the Arab Economic and Social Development Fund (43.1 PC) and ORMVAG (21.7 PC).

Agriculture minister Smail Alaoui who chaired the signing ceremony said irrigation is a "strategic priority" for the kingdom for irrigated areas play a key-role in food security, increasing farmers' income and creating jobs.