A Moroccan agricultural fair spotlighted the unique role the industry plays as an engine of the kingdom's economy.
An increasing number of Moroccan young people are becoming interested in agriculture. The sector is a mainstay of the country's economy, accounting for as much as a fifth of GDP and employing 40% of the national workforce.
Employment opportunities in the sector were the focus of many visitors to the recent 6th International Agricultural Fair (SIAM), which wrapped up on Sunday (May 1st) in Meknes.
Unemployed 26 year-old Hatim Bouchiri said he was thinking about starting an agricultural project under the Moukawalati programme. He has been unable to find work since earning a business management degree four years ago.
"I've been carrying out the technical study for my project for a year now," Bouchiri told Magharebia. "I just need the financial support. I've come to the fair to meet industry insiders and find out about the latest technological developments."
He was not alone in harbouring this ambition. After visiting several stands, Salima Gardoubi, a 32-year-old mother-of-two, said that agricultural co-operatives offer a promising future. She hopes to set one up within the next few months.
"I've been out of work for eight years. I've decided to go back to work with financial support from my husband. Because of the government support for the solidarity-based economy, I came up with the idea of setting up a co-operative, but I'm still wavering as to which sector to choose. Maybe I'll make up my mind at this fair," Gardoubi said.
SIAM general commissioner Jawad Chami said that the annual event was "proud of the number of jobs that it creates every year, directly or indirectly" and added that host-city Meknes must think of ways of lending support to efforts to boost the economy and employment.
The agricultural sector has high potential and could serve as a valuable tool in the drive to create jobs for young people, according to economist Bouazza Souiri. He explained that over the past five years, agricultural output has risen by more than 30% and more than 600,000 new jobs have been created.
The sector is changing, he said, underlining that the government has showed willingness to help small-scale farmers.
"The king announced several encouraging measures. This is good news both for professionals who are already working and for those thinking about undertaking self-employment ventures," Souiri asserted. He added that training needs to be offered to young graduates tailored to the agricultural sector.
King Mohammed VI stressed that "promotion of the situation of farmers, especially those running small farms, and the creation of productive jobs for young people are both priority imperatives in the Moroccan development model, where economic efficiency and social solidarity are combined and complement one another".
The king also called for debts owed by small-scale farmers to the Crédit Agricole du Maroc to be re-structured and for allowing farmers to take out new loans. Furthermore, he offered an increase in the amount of public funds set aside to support solidarity-based agriculture in view of its impact on the sector's modernisation.
© Magharebia.com 2011
