King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, on Saturday launched the national “Ramadan 1447” operation in the Hay Al Inbiaat district of Salé, an annual food aid initiative benefiting more than 4.36 million people.
The solidarity campaign, organized by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, has become a longstanding tradition reflecting the monarch’s support for socially vulnerable populations.
Now in its 28th edition, the operation has been allocated a budget of 305 million dirhams ($30 million) and involves the distribution of 34,550 tons of food products, including flour, milk, rice, oil, sugar, tomato paste, pasta, lentils and tea. The assistance targets the most vulnerable groups, particularly widows, elderly people and individuals with disabilities.
For the second consecutive year, beneficiaries are identified through Morocco’s Unified Social Registry, in line with royal instructions. The system uses socio-economic indicators to determine eligible households and ensure transparent distribution of food aid across 1,304 municipalities. The updated beneficiary lists were compiled in coordination with Interior Ministry services.
According to registry data, 74% of beneficiary households are located in rural areas. Of the 1 million heads of households identified, 432,092 are elderly, 211,381 are widows and 88,163 are people with disabilities, totaling 731,636 individuals within these categories.
The initiative is financed with support from the Interior Ministry, including its Directorate General of Local Authorities, and the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. It forms part of the broader humanitarian program implemented by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity to promote social support and solidarity.
Thousands of people, including social workers and volunteers, have been mobilized nationwide to oversee the distribution process. Provincial and local committees are tasked with monitoring supply operations, verifying beneficiary lists and supervising the distribution of food items.
Several public institutions are contributing logistical and operational support, including the Royal Armed Forces’ social services, the Royal Gendarmerie, the ministries of agriculture and education, the National Mutual Aid agency, the National Railways Office and the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water.
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the National Office for Food Safety are responsible for monitoring the quality of distributed food products.
During the launch ceremony, the king and the crown prince symbolically handed food baskets to 10 heads or representatives of beneficiary families. A commemorative photo was also taken with volunteers participating in the operation.
Since its launch in 1998, the national food support initiative has mobilized more than 2.5 billion dirhams, with the number of beneficiary families rising from 34,100 in its first year to 1 million families starting in 2023.
The “Ramadan 1447” operation adds to a series of humanitarian initiatives overseen by King Mohammed VI aimed at strengthening social cohesion and promoting inclusive and sustainable human development in Morocco.
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