The government has allocated 1 billion dirhams to launch a national program aimed at enhancing and modernizing weekly markets, a move intended to boost their economic and social appeal while developing their infrastructure. According to Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit, the funding will come from three ministries: Interior (500 million dirhams), Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests (250 million dirhams), and Industry and Trade (250 million dirhams), with the agreement still awaiting signature from the agricultural sector.
Laftit explained that weekly markets play a vital role in stabilizing rural populations and supporting local economic activity; however, they face challenges including outdated infrastructure, the dominance of intermediaries, and weak organization and professionalism, which impact their economic and social functions.
The new national program aims to organize economic activity spaces, promote local products, enhance market attractiveness, boost competitiveness, and create job opportunities. It will also provide financial and technical support to local communities and guide them toward modern management models such as delegated management or the establishment of local development companies, rather than traditional methods like rental or direct management.
Additionally, the program includes the issuance of a practical guide for managing weekly markets, outlining operating conditions and legal and technical obligations, as well as monitoring the health quality of products, especially meat in rural slaughterhouses, through mixed committees to ensure product safety and consumer protection.
Through these measures, Morocco is striving to transform weekly markets into exemplary economic and social spaces that promote sustainable development and support the finances of local communities.
