The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €100 million ($116.4 million) loan to support sustainable agriculture projects in Morocco, with a special focus on empowering women and young people.

The funding, announced on Monday, aims to improve food security and strengthen the resilience of small-scale farmers against climate change, according to an AfDB statement.

“Women who have the ambition to undertake and succeed in agriculture are our priority,” said Achraf Tarsim, the AfDB’s country manager for Morocco.

This loan continues a long-standing partnership between the AfDB and Morocco.

Over the past 50 years, the Bank has invested €15 billion ($17.46 billion) in 180 projects across sectors such as infrastructure, energy, water, agriculture, social protection, governance, and finance.

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In 2023 alone, the AfDB approved €254 million in new commitments to Morocco, supporting the country’s green transition and digital transformation efforts.

Morocco’s agriculture sector makes up about 12% of the country’s GDP and employs nearly 30% of the workforce, according to World Bank data.

However, the sector remains heavily reliant on rainfall and faces increasing threats from climate change.

In 2022, Morocco endured its worst drought in 40 years, which caused cereal production to fall sharply from 10.3 million tonnes in 2021 to just 3.4 million tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

With more than 70% of Moroccan farmers classified as small-scale producers, many struggle with limited access to irrigation, financing, and technology.

This leaves them particularly vulnerable to weather shocks and soil degradation.

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