The work of the Administrative Council was mainly devoted to presenting the results of the Office's financial achievements for the year 2024, in addition to the work programme and the draft budget for 2025, according to a statement by the Regional Directorate of Agriculture in the Oriental region.
On the occasion, the progress of the implementation of the regional programme to reduce the impact of the rainfall deficit and the economic situation was reviewed, where 3,087,000 quintals have been allocated to the region since 2023, distributed over 3 tranches.
An information system was also set up to track the distribution process with the aim of improving service, increasing its efficiency, and ensuring its sustainability, where 2.2 million quintals of subsidised barley, 114,460 quintals of compound feed, and 10,922 quintals of nitrogen fertilisers were distributed, and 3.5 million dirhams were allocated for the transport of barley.
Regarding the results of achievements for the year 2024, positive indicators were achieved, as the Regional Office was able to achieve a commitment rate of 99 percent for payment appropriations and 97 percent for commitment appropriations, and 71 percent as the payment rate for the total investment budget appropriations as of 16 December 2024. It is also expected to reach a rate of 99 percent as a commitment rate and 80 percent as a payment rate.
The collection rate of current irrigation water debts also reached 88 percent in the same period and is expected to reach 92 percent on 31 December 2024.
An overview was presented of the most important projects under construction and planned, including the project to modernise irrigation sectors in the "Garet" plain, which will allow for the saving of 15 million cubic metres of irrigation water annually, and the project to modernise irrigation sectors and convert them to drip irrigation, which will allow for the saving of 40 million cubic metres annually.
The emergency programme was also addressed, which enabled the construction of a special pipe for drinking water supply, separate from the main canal on both banks, over a length of 80 km, and the construction and equipping of the pumping station on the left canal to enhance drinking water supplies for the cities of Zaio and Nador, and to enhance drinking water supplies for the cities of Berkane, Nador, and Driouch through the creation and implementation of new integrated desalination plants for new boreholes.
The project to restructure the main facilities for the supply and transport of irrigation water was also presented, and the study for the construction of channels and facilities for the supply and distribution of desalinated irrigation water related to the seawater desalination plant project was launched.
Regarding the work programme and the draft budget for 2025, it focused in particular on achieving the goals set in both the regional agricultural strategy "Green Generation" and the National Programme for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation 2020-2027, with an allocated investment budget estimated at 532 million dirhams, 97 percent of which is allocated to continuing the implementation of the national programme for irrigation water saving, improving water service, and rehabilitating small, medium, and large irrigation circuits.
The members of the Administrative Council praised the serious and effective work carried out by the Regional Office to contribute to agricultural development in its area of influence, stressing the need to support the Office with the necessary resources so that it can carry out its tasks in the service of the agricultural sector in the Oriental region and complete future projects included in the regional plan for the new agricultural strategy "Green Generation" 2020-2030.
In his closing speech to the Council's work, the Secretary General of the Ministry congratulated the management of the Regional Office and its staff on the results and indicators achieved, praising the governance system followed, and stressing the need to continue engagement and mobilise all energies in order to succeed in implementing the new agricultural strategy at the level of the Oriental region.
The meeting was held in the presence of the President of the Agricultural Chamber of the Oriental region and representatives of the Wilaya of the Oriental region and the provinces of Berkane, Nador, and Taourirt, and a representative of the Oriental Regional Council, the President of the Provincial Council of Taourirt, a representative of the Provincial Council of Berkane, a representative of the Provincial Council of Nador, and the rest of the members of the Administrative Council.
