The population of Morocco, which was estimated to be 25 million in 1991, grew at a 2.5% annual rate between 1985 and 1992, to 27.1 million in 1993. An estimated 45% of the population was urban by 1991 (12.3 million) and the average urban growth rate was about 5% per year. Unemployment continues to be a serious social problem, estimated at more than 20% in urban areas in a 1991 survey. Morocco has abundant natural resources with vast areas of arable land, extensive coastlines well suited for tourism, and maritime resources like fisheries.
Recent Trends in Nutrition
Comparisons between two national nutrition surveys carried out in 1987 and 1992 (both assisted by DHS), show estimated improvements in the prevalence of underweight children (<-2 s.d. weight-for-age NCHS) from 12% (1987) to 9% (1992). (The 1987 survey sampled 3-36 months old children, whereas the 1992 survey covered 0-59 months old children; the 1987 data has been adjusted to the 0-59 months old equivalents, calculated as 11.8%).
Improvements were largely accounted for by declines in stunting (from 29% to 23%), with wasting (low weight for height) remaining fairly constant between the two periods. The prevalence of underweight was twice as high in rural areas compared to urban areas.
The fall in prevalence of underweight children between 1987 and 1992 was enough to somewhat reduce the total numbers of underweight children, from about 560,000 to less than 500,000. Infant mortality rates have been continuing their downward trend as well, now estimated at 61 per 1000 live births in 1993, compared to 73 per 1000 in 1987.
Factors Affecting Trends in Nutrition
Economic Growth. Morocco's per capita GNP in 1993 was U.S.$1,030 and the average annual growth rate of per capita GDP was 0.5% for the period 1986-93.
In recent years Morocco's GDP has shown sharply fluctuating growth trends. In part, this has been due to erratic primary sector activity. Although agriculture contributes only between 15% and 20% of GDP, it provides a livelihood for a large proportion of the economically active population, so variations in output due to changes in weather have a multiplier effect on overall economic activity.
GDP growth in real terms showed a significant improvement in the second half of the 1980s. GDP expanded strongly in 1991 under the impact of a record agriculture performance, but a two-year drought caused the economy to contract in 1992 and then again in 1993.
A government policy objective is elimination of any budget deficit. Achievement of this, however, has been delayed by the drought, which has forced public expenditure to rise (drought relief, agricultural debt rescheduling, public works etc.) and economic activity and revenue to decline. The central government's budget deficit was reduced to 1.7% of GDP in 1992, which was less than the 3.1% recorded in 1991. Inflation has been low, hovering around 5% during 1991-93.
Food Security. Absolute poverty has declined from over 20% in 1985 to around 13% in 1991, but rates of improvement of basic social indicators are less satisfactory. This is partly due to the high population growth rate. About 40% of the work force is engaged in agriculture, which accounts for over a quarter of exports. Per capita food production index, with base year (1979-81=100), has decreased from 130 in 1986 to 106 in 1993, mainly due to two-year drought in the country in 1992/3. Cereal production also decreased from 8.7 million MT in 1986 to 2.9 million MT in 1991 and also in 1993. Indications are that the 1993/4 harvest was back to pre-drought levels of 8.5 million MT.
Due to this drastic decline in cereal production, Morocco had to import 3.9 million MT of cereal in 1992/93 and 2 million MT in 1991/92. In 1992 imports of food products rose to 12.1% of total imports by value, the highest proportion since 1986. Wheat imports rose by 57.6%, to 2.42 million MT, due to the poor domestic harvest. In the 1991/92 and 1992/3 crop years 4.9 million hectares were planted to cereals, with barley accounting for 2.2 million hectares, hard and soft wheat for 1.1 million hectares each, and maize for 0.5 million hectares.
MOROCCO
(Estimates in 1993)
|
Population |
: 27.1 million |
|
Population Density |
: 57 per sq. km. |
|
Population Growth Rate |
: 2.1% per annum |
|
Urban Population |
: 48% |
|
IMR |
: 48 |
|
GNP US$ (Per Capita) |
: 1030 |
|
PPP estimates of GDP |
: 3340 |
Underweight preschool children (Percent below -2 s.d. weight for age)
Infant mortality rate (Per 1,000 live births)
ECONOMICS
GDP per capita (1987 Mkt. prices, Dirhams / capita)
Debt service ratio (Debt service/exports)
FOOD
Food production index (Per caput, 1979-81=100)
Dietary energy supply (Kcals/caput/day)
Consumer price index (1980=100)
FPI/CPI ratio (1980=100)
HEALTH
Immunization coverage (Percent)
Access to local health care (Percent)
PUBLIC EXPENDITURES
Education and health expenditures (US $ per capita)
Education and health expenditures (Percent of government expenditures)
Unemployment is a major problem in Morocco. One youth out of three, between the ages of 15 and 24, is unemployed in the urban centers. The government launched a drought relief programme in 1993 to provide alternative employment for some 300,000 farming families. Remittances from the migrant labor force (estimated at 1.7 million people in 1992) have provided a crucial addition to Morocco's invisible earnings and helped to support appreciable numbers of family members and other dependents in Morocco. The government also runs temporary employment programmes like the Promotion Nationale scheme, particularly in rural areas.
In the 1980s, Morocco adopted a more liberal agricultural policy, which involved decontrolling prices of agricultural and food products, while modernizing the marketing system and external trade regulations, and reducing or canceling the subsidies granted for most inputs (fertilizer, improved seeds, etc.). It was also decided to exempt farmers from payment of agricultural taxes up to the year 2000, so as to increase production and make progress towards food self-sufficiency. The peasant farmers, particularly in rainfed areas, are the least prosperous, despite some help from the government in recent years. At least one-third of them produce largely for subsistence purposes. The problem of inefficient smallholdings remains critical, given the fact that the vast majority of landholdings are under 5 ha. More rural people do not possess land at all, and work as agricultural labourers or sharecroppers.
The food price index with a base year (1980=100) has increased from 181 in 1986 to 236 in 1993. The daily calorie supply per capita has increased from 2963 in 1986 to 2978 in 1990. The figure for 1992 stands at 2984. The high levels are probably due to the substantial food subsidy by the government. Although food prices have been rising, the rates of increase are not as fast as the general CPI.
Health. Public expenditures for health in Morocco are very low, estimated at about 3% of total government expenditures in 1990. This is roughly equivalent to about $7 per capita-a level below that of its neighbors in the region. The level of antenatal care is also low; the most recent estimate was about 25%, which is substantially below many developing countries. The immunization coverage in children has been high, but was shown to have been static or declining in recent years.
