Morocco’s unemployment crisis has reached a critical point, driven by severe job losses in agriculture due to persistent droughts. Unemployment rates surged to 13.7% last quarter and remain high at 13.1% this quarter, marking the worst figures in over 15 years.
Economist Mohamed Jedri highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that “agriculture has always been Morocco’s primary employer, but the devastating impact of prolonged drought is severely crippling the job market,” he told Hespress Ar.
Jedri revealed that nearly 297,000 jobs were lost last year, with efforts to strengthen sectors such as automotive parts, aerospace, textiles, food processing, tourism, traditional crafts, and services failing to compensate for the substantial losses in agriculture.
Despite a near 3% growth rate this year, Jedri indicated that the agricultural sector no longer significantly contributes to the nation’s growth. He projected that by 2027, as water and energy issues are addressed, the sector would regain resilience, potentially stabilizing agricultural seasons despite water challenges.
Jedri also noted that other sectors, including automotive, aerospace, and tourism, could fill the gap left by agriculture in the future, reflecting Morocco’s ongoing economic transition.
Economist Youssef Kraoui Filali, head of the Moroccan Center for Governance and Management, expressed alarm at the deteriorating job market. He pointed out that national unemployment has surpassed 13%, with youth unemployment exceeding 40%, and warned that the situation could worsen.
“If the agricultural sector continues to struggle with declining rainfall and water scarcity, and remains vulnerable to climate change, unemployment rates will inevitably rise,” Filali said.
He explained that the broader economic slowdown affects various sectors, with the industrial and service sectors unable to absorb the 400,000 graduates entering the job market each year. This has exacerbated the challenges faced by job seekers.
Filali stressed the need to modernize the agricultural sector to reduce dependence on rainfall and climate variability. He advocated for advancements in food industry practices and agricultural techniques that optimize water use.
Additionally, Filali called for improved irrigation methods, including artificial solutions, to sustain agricultural activity despite water stress and reduced rainfall. This approach could help preserve the sector’s value and create new job opportunities for those impacted by job losses.
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