Morocco Country Strategic Plan (2019-2022)

CSP approved at EB.A/2019

Revision 01 approved by the CD on 30.12.2021

Economic and social reforms have contributed significantly to Morocco’s progress in eradicating extreme poverty and eliminating hunger, reducing the percentage of people living in situations of extreme poverty or food poverty to almost zero. Access to food is generally guaranteed in Morocco, but the country still faces challenges related to malnutrition, long-term food security and sustainable agriculture. The rise in food security and the prospects for further improvements depend on national efforts to reduce inequalities, vulnerability and disparities in income among regions, between urban and rural areas and between men and women.

Women generally work at very low levels in agriculture value chains, carrying out mainly basic farming activities that are not always remunerated. Among poor and vulnerable populations, gender inequalities render women particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, and more programmes and projects that target women and young farmers are needed. Land degradation, loss of biodiversity and climate-change-related hazards pose further threats to food security. Infrastructure needs to be improved in remote rural areas in order to ensure access to markets and to attract investment.

The Morocco country strategic plan will contribute to the following strategic outcome: "National institutions in Morocco have strengthened capacity to implement enhanced school meal programmes that improve food security, nutrition and social protection by 2021". To achieve this, WFP will support the Government of Morocco in enhancing its National School Meals Programme as a vital component of the Vision 2030 education sector reform and the national nutrition strategy for 2011–2019.

WFP will support its main government partner, the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, in strengthening regulatory frameworks and tools for school meals and social protection. The Ministry will pilot innovative school meals modalities based on WFP recommendations.

The country strategic plan is aligned with the first pillar of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework for 2017–2021, which supports the education sector. An enhanced National School Meals Programme could contribute to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals 4, on ensuring quality education, 2, on achieving zero hunger and 17, on partnerships aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The activities under the country strategic plan will contribute to Sustainable Development Goals Target 17.9, which concerns enhancing international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all Sustainable Development Goals, including through North–South, South–South and triangular cooperation.

WFP will work with the other Rome-based agencies – the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development – to follow up on the implementation of the recommendations of the country strategic review, making the most of their respective expertise and in-country resources.