Specialists for 
modern livestock farming

Around four million Moroccans are employed in agriculture. Livestock farming creates more than half of these jobs and generates a significant proportion of income in rural areas. However, the predominantly small farms often lack expertise in modern breeding methods and animal health, as well as in techniques such as artificial insemination, laboratory analyses, and dairy production. Many farms have difficulties finding qualified agricultural technicians. This prevents the creation of new jobs and slows down productivity growth. Animal health and food security also suffer as a result. The government has recognised the problem and wants to expand agricultural training opportunities and promote growth in the sector with the Génération Green 2020-2030 plan.

As part of a public-private partnership, the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture has entrusted the non-profit Association Nationale Ovine et Caprine (ANOC) with running the state-owned Institut de Formation dans les Métiers de l'Élevage (IFME) in Bellota (Province of Ouezzane in northern Morocco). Since 2021, basic knowledge on livestock farming and dairy technology is being taught there. A consortium was formed to further develop the institute, which includes ANOC, IFME and the education department of the Ministry of Agriculture. Invest for Jobs is supporting the expansion of the training centre with a grant awarded by the Facility Investing for Employment. New training programmes are also being developed. The construction measures include new classrooms and workshops as well as a water treatment plant, a dormitory, a library, a solar-powered irrigation system and two sports fields. Young people up to the age of 30 who have completed secondary school or basic agricultural training can train to become agricultural technicians. They will complete their training within two years after the end of the construction phase. This gives them comprehensive knowledge of breeding, nutrition, reproduction and the health of farm animals. Two further training courses, which only last six months, are aimed at participants with less prior knowledge. They can either acquire practical knowledge of artificial insemination and laboratory analyses, or train to become dairy specialists.

The total volume of the investment is EUR 2.08 million. The Facility Investing for Employment is providing a grant totalling 1.79 million euros (86 percent). It will be used to co-finance the construction work, the technical equipment for the training centre, the laboratories, and the dairy, as well as the development of the new curricula. It will also fund an office for job placement.

After the end of the investment phase, 44 people will complete the 2-year programme between 2027 and 2030. 206 people are expected to successfully complete the six-month training programme during this period. The consortium around ANOC will create 30 new jobs to operate the expanded IFME. 196 graduates are expected to subsequently find a job in an agricultural company. Several companies and cooperatives have expressed their willingness to create new jobs for qualified specialists.

The Facility Investing for Employment (IFE) of KfW Development Bank is part of the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition" of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). With its support, the Facility wants to remove barriers that prevent the creation of new and better jobs in the private sector.