Inclusive Socio-Economic Development in Beni Mellal-Khenifra

Although agriculture is the backbone of Morocco’s Beni Mellal-Khénifra region, there are enormous opportunities for more tourism, both domestic and international, and large-scale phosphate mining. And a willing workforce is available for these industries. These factors provide the region with a solid foundation for accelerated and inclusive growth. The Morocco Inclusive Socioeconomic Development in Beni Mellal-Khénifra (ISED-BMK) project will assist the region in achieving its national and local development priorities for accelerated and equitable economic growth, built on the greater inclusion and active participation of women, young people, people with disabilities and people living in rural areas. Expected outcomes include sustainable job creation generated by a more productive and dynamic private sector working with a more transparent and effective public sector and a more engaged and participatory citizenry. To achieve this, stakeholders must address sociocultural and economic constraints holistically. The ISED-BMK Theory of Change posits that if inclusive socioeconomic development effectively facilitates more participatory decision-making processes, strengthens links among stakeholders and amplifies marginalized voices, then citizen-led solutions to local development challenges will evolve and more inclusive economic development will occur. This theory drives the project’s collaborative approach to address co-identified socioeconomic challenges so that by 2025 the region will have achieved faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth that benefits marginalized citizens. These groups will begin to close the gap with the general population in terms of income, skills, access to information, employment opportunities, levels of participation in governance and share of resources accessible to them.