Morocco has launched an ambitious national program to restore its livestock population, which has been severely affected by drought and climate fluctuations. This plan, announced by Minister of Agriculture Ahmed Bouari, mobilizes a total budget of nearly 6.2 billion dirhams (approximately 674 million USD) for the period 2025-2026, with 3 billion dirhams allocated by the end of 2025 and 3.2 billion planned for 2026.

Program Objectives and Focus

The program aims to sustainably rebuild the livestock sector by particularly supporting small-scale livestock farmers and preserving breeding females, which are essential for rebuilding the herd. It is structured around five main areas:

Debt relief for livestock farmers: Approximately 50,000 farmers will benefit from partial debt cancellation, with a 50% forgiveness for debts under 100,000 dirhams, 25% for those between 100,000 and 200,000 dirhams, and restructuring with the elimination of penalties for debts above this level.

Animal feed support: A budget of 2.5 billion dirhams is allocated to subsidizing feed, particularly barley and compound feed for sheep and goats, to reduce costs for livestock farmers.

Preservation of breeding females: More than 8 million ewes and goats must be identified by May 2026, with direct aid of 400 dirhams per identified female not slaughtered.

National Animal Health Campaign: A budget of 150 million dirhams will enable the vaccination and treatment of approximately 17 million head of cattle against drought-related diseases.

Technical Support and Genetic Improvement: 50 million dirhams will be allocated to training livestock producers and improving the genetic quality of livestock, particularly through artificial insemination.

Context and Challenges

This program responds to royal directives and aims to mitigate the economic and social impacts of the prolonged drought, which has decimated 38% of the cattle and sheep population since 2016. It is part of a comprehensive strategy for agricultural resilience and food sovereignty in Morocco.

In summary, this massive and structural plan aims to restore Morocco’s livestock population, support livestock producers in a difficult climate, and strengthen the sustainability of the livestock sector, a key pillar of the country’s rural economy.