Evaluation of the Effects Induced by the Implementation of Rural Development Programs on the Improvement of Farmers’ Incomes and Their Resilience to Climate Change: Case Study PDRZM Morocco

Scientific evidence suggests that agriculture is affected by climate change worldwide, and Moroccan mountain areas are among the most vulnerable; Rural Development Program for Mountain Area (PDRZM) is a project that operated on the Province of Azilal and on two main components; the development and enhancement of agricultural value chains, the sustainable management of natural resources and the adaptation to climate change. The objective of this paper is to assess the effects induced by the implementation of the actions of the program (PDRZM) in the Province of Azilal, in order to reduce rural poverty (from 30% to 2030) and to combat climate vulnerability. This impact assessment is based on a long-term survey to document the evolution of the levels of key indicators and to deduce the changes induced by the program in terms of development and valorization of the agricultural sectors and the measures of adaptation to climate change. The questionnaire survey is a mixed method approach: quantitative among households and qualitative through interviews and focus groups with agricultural professional organizations. Random stratified sampling is the most preferable method for conducting this impact study with a sample size of 50 (PAO) and 358 households. Based on this analysis, we determined that 17.3% of households adopt sustainable, climate change resistant practices and technologies relative to the final target of 50%, an increase of 31% in the demand for local products that was similar to the target (30%). Other actions carried out to support 151 groups in the sustainable management of natural resources and climate-related risks, which exceeds the objective of 40. 1300 ha of land under climate-resilient management similar to the target and 6.6% of people received climate information services, on the one hand. On the other hand, the program has contributed to improving living standards by increasing the profits of new businesses and creating 4169 new jobs. Yet the program contributed to an 18.4% increase in the income of beneficiary farmers. The actions of the PDRZM program have marked positive effects on the targeted beneficiaries. Except for the first objective. Thus, resilience to climate change in the targeted areas has increased.