[Morocco] IFAD Reinforces Partnership Against Poverty With New Office in Morocco
The Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) signed a host country agreement today in Rome.
The opening of a country office in Morocco signifies a milestone in the long-standing cooperation between IFAD and the Moroccan government to work together to reduce poverty in the country's rural areas.
For example, the objective of the current IFAD-supported programme in Morocco is to help reduce poverty by 30 per cent by 2030 and improve the living conditions of rural populations, especially in mountain areas. It is expected that by opening a country office in Morocco IFAD will also strengthen its role in the donor community and its partnership with civil society.
Over the past 30 years, IFAD has built strong partnerships with the government and with various public agencies, research institutions, professional associations and microcredit associations.
IFAD programmes and projects are also developing broad partnerships with local-level development associations, agricultural waters users' associations, women's associations and microfinance cooperatives.
"The opening of an IFAD office in Rabat will certainly contribute to reinforce these partnerships to benefit the population," said Abdelhamid Abdouli, Country Programme Manager for Morocco. He added that in the poorest areas, IFAD's target groups include poor smallholder farmers, landless people, rural women and unemployed young people.
Over the long term, IFAD aims to increase the participation of rural communities in the development process. It will do this in several ways. It will build up their organizational and management capacities; promote access of poor rural people - especially women and young people - to appropriate and sustainable financial services, particularly microfinance services that are tailored to their needs.
It will also promote access to markets, water and improved agricultural techniques. This will be achieved by giving poor people access to irrigation schemes and drinking water supplies as well as to rural tracks in isolated zones.
Since 1979, IFAD has invested some $222 million in programmes and projects in the Kingdom of Morocco, benefiting about 660,000 households.