Morocco Agriculture Ministry has launched a pilot programme to introduce electronic payments for rural cooperatives, using the 18th International Agriculture Fair (SIAM) in Meknes as a testing ground.
The country is slowly changing how people pay for everyday goods, as the country pushes to reduce its long-standing reliance on cash. The shift is being driven by new digital systems, stronger regulation and efforts to bring more people into the formal financial system, from big cities to rural villages.
The project is led by the ministry’s financial directorate, working with Bank Al-Maghrib. It is being run at the pavilion dedicated to local products, where around 50 cooperatives have been equipped with electronic payment terminals. Visitors can now pay by card instead of cash.
Officials say the move is part of Morocco’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, especially its second phase, which focuses on increasing the actual use of financial services, not just access to them. Rural areas remain a key target, where cash is still dominant and access to formal banking tools is uneven.
Authorities say the pilot is not only about convenience. Electronic payments create digital records of transactions, which can improve traceability and strengthen accounting systems for cooperatives.
For many small farming groups, this could also make it easier to meet bank requirements and access credit, although officials acknowledge that financial management practices still vary widely.
The initiative is being run with several payment sector operators, though their names have not been disclosed. It is described as an early test, with potential for wider rollout depending on results from the fair.
The SIAM pilot sits within a broader national shift towards digital payments. Morocco has been steadily building a more connected payment system in recent years, designed to reduce reliance on cash and improve access to financial services.
A key part of this is Switch Al Maghrib (SWAM), formerly HPS Switch, which runs an interoperable mobile payment system. It allows different providers to offer compatible digital wallets under a national framework, helping users pay across platforms.
The system is aimed at widening financial access, particularly for people without bank accounts.
Other institutions are also supporting the move. Barid Cash has expanded mobile and proximity payment services, including in less urban areas. Maroc PME has also introduced digital payment tools into some of its support programmes for small businesses.
These efforts are designed to bring more businesses into the formal economy and improve how they manage transactions.
Despite progress, obstacles remain. In many rural areas, card infrastructure is still patchy and internet connections are unreliable.
