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AfDB Approves €100 Million Loan to Empower Women and Youth in Moroccan Agriculture
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €100 million ($116.4 million) loan to support sustainable agriculture in Morocco, with a strong focus on empowering women and young people.
The financing, announced on Monday, aims to boost the country’s food security while helping small-scale farmers build resilience to climate change. According to a statement from the bank, the initiative aligns with broader efforts to create inclusive and climate-smart agricultural systems across Africa.
“Women who have the ambition to undertake and succeed in agriculture are our priority,” said Achraf Tarsim, head of the AfDB’s Morocco office. The program will provide critical support for women-led and youth-driven farming enterprises, which the bank views as vital to Morocco’s long-term development goals.
The funding is part of the AfDB’s broader commitment to Morocco, where it has invested €15 billion ($17.46 billion) over the past five decades in key sectors including transportation, water, energy, agriculture, social protection, governance, and finance.
The latest loan underscores the AfDB’s growing emphasis on environmental sustainability and inclusive development—principles at the heart of its agricultural strategy. It also responds to increasing concerns about climate variability and its impact on rural livelihoods.
As Morocco continues to face mounting food and water security challenges, particularly in its drought-prone regions, the bank’s intervention is expected to provide a timely boost to innovation, productivity, and long-term resilience in the agricultural sector.
