The Moroccan government has allocated 40 million dirhams to help farmers that have been affected by the torrential rains and floods that hammered several provinces on September 6-9, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki, said Tuesday in Ouarzazate.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the Regional Chamber of Agriculture representing the provinces of Drâa-Tafilalet, Sadiki underlined that this budget is meant to rehabilitate water infrastructure and relaunch agricultural activities in these provinces.
The minister also highlighted the large-scale projects launched under the Green Morocco Plan or the Generation Green strategy aimed at developing oasis areas, including the project to plant 5 million palm trees by 2030, in addition to rural development projects focusing on the promotion of products, the management and development of irrigation and the creation of agricultural units for small producers.
He also noted that oasis areas benefit from a particular interest in terms of development and protection of these ecosystems, particularly since the creation of the National Agency for the Development of Oasis Areas and Argan (ANDZOA), in accordance with the High Royal Instructions.
Eighteen people were killed and four others are missing following these torrential rains, according to an updated toll of the Interior Ministry, which reported the collapse of 56 homes, 27 of which completely collapsed, as well as the total or partial collapse of eight medium-sized engineering structures.
Torrential rains also damaged electricity, drinking water and phone networks, the ministry said, adding that field interventions carried out by the technical teams managed to restore major parts of the electricity network, while drinking water and telecommunications services were fully restored.
Temporary interruptions affected 110 road sections, 84 of which have been reopened to traffic following the intervention of the services concerned.
According to the same source, public authorities are mobilizing all the necessary human and logistical resources to deal quickly and efficiently with this exceptional situation and to take the appropriate measures to help citizens, in particular through the distribution of food rations, tents and blankets for flood-stricken families, while working to quickly restore services in the affected areas.
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