Member of Parliament Rafiq Majait emphasized that rural development is not merely a development responsibility, but also a strategic choice to ensure regional balance and social justice.
In a statement addressed to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests during the oral question period held on Monday, May 5, 2025, at the House of Representatives, Majait noted that despite the efforts made by the ministry through various programs, the daily reality in a number of villages and mountainous areas remains marked by a severe lack of basic infrastructure such as drinking water, roads, electricity access, health and education services, as well as the lack of support for small farmers and local cooperatives (for example, in the region of…), noting that rural development is not merely a matter of isolated projects, but requires an integrated and comprehensive vision that takes into account the specificities of each region and ensures dignity and stability for rural citizens.
The Member of Parliament called on the minister to accelerate the implementation of programs aimed at ending rural isolation, particularly in remote rural areas affected by climate change; to support local agricultural production chains through training, financing, and marketing; and to encourage rural investment through tax incentives and technical support for small and medium-sized enterprises; as well as ensuring effective coordination among various stakeholders to ensure responsiveness to residents’ expectations and achieve efficiency in the disbursement of allocated budgets, in addition to giving careful consideration to the issuance of a Rural Code, which “we consider the primary and most appropriate gateway to addressing rural issues with an integrated and inclusive vision, rather than sectoral interventions that have proven their limitations.”
Edited by: Khadija Al-Rahali / Photography by: Yassin Al-Zahrawi
