Visitas: 162
The Moroccan Agence Nationale pour le Développement de l’Aquaculture (National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture, ANDA) held its Board of Directors meeting chaired by Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fishing, Rural Development and Water and Forests. Among other successes, they noted that 259 agreements for the creation and operation of aquaculture farms have been made.
Among these projects authorized, 168 have started the installation of their farms in different regions of the Kingdom for a production of more than 80,000 tons / year and the creation of more than 2000 jobs.
In the session, the work was devoted to the review of the achievements of the ANDA under the year 2021 and the presentation of its action plan and budget forecast for the year 2022.
In addition to the projects being installed, the ANDA launched in June a Call for Expressions of Interest (AMI) for the realization of new aquaculture projects in the regions of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Souss-Massa, Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima and the Oriental. At the end of this AMI, more than 100 projects of aquaculture farms are retained for a target production of 100 000 tons / year.
Three educational farms
Regarding the solidarity aquaculture, it should be noted that the ANDA also provides administrative and technical support to 116 aquaculture projects of a social nature, led by groups of young entrepreneurs and cooperatives of women and fishermen to support them in the realization of their projects.
To ensure the inclusion of this category, the Department of Maritime Fishing has set up a structuring program that aims to provide financial support to these social projects for an envelope of 129 million dhs.
“In addition to technical, administrative and financial support, a program of theoretical and practical training in the profession of aquaculture is carried out for the benefit of young entrepreneurs and cooperatives in partnership with the Department of Maritime Fisheries for which the ANDA has set up three educational farms at Dakhla, Agadir and Ras Al Ma.“
In the same sense and aware of the importance of capacity building in aquaculture, it was launched by the Department of Maritime Fisheries of the Ministry, the ANDA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the support of the Kingdom of Norway and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a support project for the development of aquaculture in Morocco for an amount of 2.5 million dollars. This project provides for the installation of a demonstration and training station for fish and shellfish farming in Sidi Ifni.
An aquaculture potential exceeding 8,000 hectares
In terms of coastal planning for aquaculture, five regional aquaculture development plans are carried out in the regions of Guelmim-Oued-Noun, Laâyoune Sakia El Hamra, Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi and the lagoon of Marchica. These aquaculture development plans have highlighted an aquaculture potential exceeding 8,000 hectares.
Development around different axes
The directors of the Board of Directors have also taken note of the action plan of the Agency for the year 2022. This program is broken down into 20 structuring projects and 50 actions dedicated to the aquaculture trades to give a significant boost to the development of the aquaculture sector.
They are articulated around axes as the implementation of legislative and regulatory provisions governing aquaculture; aquaculture planning to identify new potentials and create aquaculture poles in all coastal regions with aquaculture potential; facilitating access to aquaculture inputs; and strengthening the system of advice, guidance and support for aquaculture projects, as well as the implementation of pilot demonstration projects.
In addition, it is planned to structure the distribution network and support the marketing of aquaculture products; strengthen the digitalization of ANDA’s activities; mobilize donors to finance the sector; and develop aquaculture capacities.
