HM the King launches, enquires about pilot agricultural projects in Midelt province worth over $42.9mln
Tounfite (Midelt) - HM King Mohammed VI enquired, on Wednesday in the rural commune of Tounfite (Midelt province), about several pilot olive and apple tree-planting projects and launched the "Tounfite" project for apple trees' development, for about 345 million dirhams (over 42.9 million dollars).
- The Sovereign enquires about olive-collection project in Midelt for over 264 million dirhams.
- HM the King launches apple tree development project in Tounfite for an amount of 21 million dirhams.
- The projects will promote farmers’ income, reduce poverty and preserve the environment through a sustainable management of lands and water resources.
These projects, initiated as part of the "Green Morocco Plan", are aimed at spurring economic and social development in the province of Midelt through the promotion of farmers’ income, the reduction of poverty and the preservation of the environment on the basis of the sustainable management of lands and water resources and the modernization of agriculture.
The Sovereign was given details on the olive-collection project in Midelt worth over 264 million dirhams.
The project, which spans four years, benefits 1,600 farmers and provides for planting olive trees over a surface area of 3,500 hectares, adopting a localized irrigation technique for 3,500 hectares, setting up 10 units for production development with a capacity of 1200 tons/day and purchasing the necessary equipment.
HM the King was also informed about two apple-collection projects in the Zaida zone (Midelt provine) totaling over 60 million dirhams.
The two projects, which benefit 120 farmers over four years, are carried out as part of the Green Morocco Plan’s second mainstay with the aim of boosting a solidarity-based agriculture.
On the same occasion, HM the King launched the apple tree development project dubbed “Tounfite”, which will benefit 576 farmers for an amount of around 21 million dirhams.
It seeks to increase the yearly production to reach 7,700 tons and the productivity to 25 tons/hectares. It will also generate 144 jobs.
The Sovereign handed agricultural equipment to farmers affiliated with local associations and cooperatives.
HM the King lays foundation stones of youth and women training centers in Midelt province
Midelt - HM King Mohammed VI laid, on Tuesday, the foundation stone of a training and capacity building center for youth in Zaida rural commune and a training and qualification center for rural women in Ait Oumghar, carried out by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, with a total cost of 6.5 million dirhams.
- The training and capacity building center for youth of Zaida rural commune will supervise and support youth for a better socio-professional integration.
- The training and qualification center for rural women of Ait Oumghar aims to promote the competences of women in local employment and income-generating professions.
The first center, which will be built in the rural commune of Zaida, will supervise and support youth for a better preparation for socio-professional integration, through notably promoting educational, cultural and sports activities.
Spanning over an area of 1,750 square meters, the facility will comprise 2 floors, where youth and their supervising associations can carry out trainings and other different activities.
The training and capacity building center for youth of Zaida will organize carpentering, blacksmithing, music and plastic arts workshops. It will include a classroom, a languages room, a computer room, a media library, a reading room and many other facilities.
In the same vein, the training and qualification center for rural women aims to contribute to the promotion of the competences of women in local employment and income-generating professions.
It will also work for educating women and improving their socio-economic conditions and teaching children under 5 years old in kindergarten classes.
This institution, which will be built over 900 square metres, will organize dressmaking, carpet weaving, embroidery, knitting and wool production workshops.
It will also host an adult literacy classroom, two nurseries and two offices.
HM the King reiterates Morocco's commitment to work for sustainable economy
Agadir - HM King Mohammed VI reiterated Morocco's commitment to work for the emergence of a "responsible, sustainable, environment-friendly economy that focuses on the achievement of human development and on people's welfare."
In a message sent to the participants in the Forum on Human Development, which opened on Monday in Agadir, HM the king noted that Morocco believes that "partnerships, the exchange of best practices and South-South cooperation can be instrumental in helping us find new solutions to promote human development."
HM the king underlined that "by holding this important meeting, Morocco is reiterating its commitment to greater fairness and social justice at the global level, through the promotion of economic and social rights."
"The fact that the National Initiative for Human Development has been chosen as one of the main topics of discussion will give us the opportunity to inject fresh momentum into it, since the major issues relating to the Initiative will be examined in light of the recommendations adopted by the various regional meetings held over the past five years," HM the king underscored.
The sovereign also highlighted that "these questions mainly concern the targeting of beneficiary populations and regions, ways to increase income-generating activities and to expand citizen participation, measures to promote cohesion and complementarity, and the role regions and local authorities play in promoting the well-being of people. This is the goal my country is trying to achieve through the advanced regionalization project I have launched."
HM the king noted that "given the exceptional level of participation and the high caliber of the officials and experts taking part in this forum, I am sure there will be fruitful debate on all aspects relating to human development."
The sovereign voiced hope that the forum concludes with the "formulation of a common vision for human development" and answers to current and future challenges, as well as recommendations that will "help us determine the strategic elements and components of the second phase of the National Initiative for Human Development."
National Initiative for Human Development, a Moroccan experience by Moroccans and for Moroccans
Agadir - HM King Mohammed VI said that the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) is a Moroccan experience by Moroccans and for Moroccans.
In a message to the Forum on Human Development, which opened on Monday in Agadir, HM the King underlined that the National Initiative for Human Development "which I very much wanted to be rooted in a spirit of responsible citizenship, both in terms of its fundamentals and of its purely Moroccan conception, is a typical initiative which attests to our country's great ability to innovate and make up for shortcomings."
"Thanks to an innovative philosophy and an original approach, the National Initiative for Human Development has made it possible to step up the pace of social change in target areas and enhance people's dignity as well as their confidence in the future. Building on an innovative mode of governance based on closeness to the citizens, partnership and transparent management, the INDH has made it possible to simplify working methods and introduce flexible mechanisms in the management of public policies," the Sovereign stressed.
The Monarch voiced satisfaction that "this pioneering program has enabled us to implement more than 22,000 development projects that have benefited 5 million people, with budget appropriations in excess of 10bn dirhams. More than 3,400 new income-generating activities have created some 40,000 jobs, thus enabling the poor to be integrated into the economy."
"The Initiative has also significantly boosted civil society participation at the local level, as more than 5,000 community organizations have been involved in the implementation of development projects," HM the King added.
The Sovereign noted that "undeniable progress has been made, but we are aware that there are shortcomings. This is only to be expected in an innovative project of such magnitude. For this reason, I have sought to ensure follow-up in the field as well as constant assessment throughout the implementation phases in order to improve programs, make sure activities are integrated and remove whatever obstacles there may be."
HM the King urged "all the stakeholders involved in human development to strive doubly hard to promote social and inter-regional solidarity, enhance the cohesion of social sectoral programs, ensure the sustainability of current projects and improve community organizations' capabilities."
HM the King stressed that this is meant "to preserve the fundamental philosophy and goals of this Initiative as an efficient model that we have developed to respond to the needs of our citizens throughout the Kingdom."
HM the King inquires about progress in Midelt's urban upgrading programme
Midelt - HM King Mohammed VI inquired, on Monday in Midelt, about the progress made in the city's urban upgrading programme, worth 145.8 million dirhams (about $ 18 mln).
- The Sovereign inaugurates a bridge on Outate River and launches widening and strengthening project of Midelt's main crossing.
- The urban upgrading programme is meant to reinforce the city's infrastructure and improve services for citizens.
On this occasion, the Monarch inaugurated a bridge built on Outate River and launched widening and strengthening works of Midelt’s main crossing on 4.88 kilometers.
The two projects will contribute to improving traffic and road safety as well as smartening up the city by setting up spillways of river water, planting trees and constructing parking spaces.
They are part of Midelt’s urban upgrading programme which aims at developing the city’s infrastructure, improving the quality of health services and strengthening the transport network.