The United States has selected Morocco as a key beneficiary of its Food for Progress 2026 program, unlocking a major $226 million initiative designed to strengthen agricultural productivity and expand global trade opportunities. The move highlights Morocco’s growing strategic importance in global agriculture and positions the country as a leading partner in emerging market development.
According to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, the program will fund cooperative agreements aimed at boosting agricultural systems while creating new commercial pathways for American agricultural exports. For fiscal year 2026, funding will support multi-year projects structured to deliver long-term economic impact across selected nations.
Morocco joins a competitive list of priority countries, including Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Each project is expected to run for five years, with funding allocations ranging between $28 million and $35 million. As a result, participating countries will benefit from sustained investments targeting productivity, infrastructure, and market access.
The program actively drives two major goals. First, it strengthens agricultural productivity in developing economies. Second, it expands agricultural trade between these markets and the United States. In addition, it promotes private sector participation and encourages innovation across agricultural value chains.
Unlike traditional aid programs, Food for Progress operates through a trade-driven development model. The United States purchases agricultural commodities from domestic producers and exports them to partner countries. Then, proceeds from sales fund development initiatives that improve farming systems, infrastructure, and economic resilience.
Morocco’s inclusion reflects its ongoing transformation in agriculture and economic diversification. The country continues to invest heavily in modern farming techniques, irrigation systems, and export capacity. Consequently, global institutions increasingly recognize Morocco as a rising agricultural powerhouse.
The International Monetary Fund projects Morocco’s economy will grow by approximately 4.4% in 2026. Strong agricultural output is expected to drive this expansion, reinforcing the sector’s central role in national development.
Furthermore, Morocco dominates the global phosphate fertilizer market, supplying key agricultural inputs worldwide. The state-owned OCP Group remains at the center of this dominance, controlling nearly 70% of global phosphate reserves. This position gives Morocco significant leverage in global food production systems.
Recently, OCP shipped 90,000 tons of fertilizers to Latin America despite disruptions in global trade routes linked to geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. This resilience underscores Morocco’s strategic importance in maintaining global agricultural supply chains.
Financially, OCP continues to deliver strong results. The company recorded a 17% revenue increase in 2025, reaching MAD 114 billion ($11.4 billion). Rising global demand and improved market conditions fueled this growth, further strengthening Morocco’s economic outlook.
As the Food for Progress 2026 program moves forward, Morocco stands to benefit from enhanced agricultural capacity, increased trade integration, and stronger economic resilience. Ultimately, the partnership signals a deeper alignment between US development strategy and Africa’s emerging agricultural leaders, reinforcing Morocco’s position on the global stage.
