Rabat – Morocco’s agriculture strategy is already heading towards a more rational use of water resources, Industry and Trade Minister, Ryad Mezzour, said on Tuesday.
Prioritizing food security
“We often hear in news outlets that Morocco exports water at a time when water resources are under significant pressure,” Mezzour explained, referring to the recent campaign that called for a halt in the cultivation of water-intensive fruits destined for exports.
Addressing these concerns, Mezzour conceded that Morocco needs to guarantee its food security.
He further explained that the country is currently adopting a number of policies to ration the use of water in the agriculture sector.
“That said, it is true that we have made many mistakes in regards to managing water resources in the past, but those investments have benefited millions of families,” he argued.
The minister’s remarks were part of the opening speech for the “Industry Mornings” held in Casablanca. The event was organized by industry-focused publication Magazine de L’Industrie, in partnership with Morocco’s Minister of Trade and Industry.
Speakers at the “Industry Mornings” event
Under the theme “Water Industry: Urgent and Future Challenges,” the event brought together policymakers, officials, and business leaders to discuss and share know-how related to the industry’s responsibility when it comes to tackling water scarcity.
Morocco’s acute water scarcity
Addressing water scarcity has been a cornerstone of Morocco’s strategies in recent years. Through a 2020-2050 plan, the country is allocating MAD 383 billion ($37.6 billion) over a period of 30 year to boost the national water grids for domestic uses and for agriculture. The plan also covers measures to protect water supply from the climate threat.
Water scarcity is a significant threat to Morocco’s socio-economic development ambitions. The country’s water resources are under pressure due to rising demography and agricultural activities.
According to World Bank data, agriculture alone accounts for almost 88% of Morocco’s national water consumption.
The North African kingdom ranks among countries with the lowest water resources per capita. Its water resources per capita averaged an annual rate of 645 cube meters in 2015, a far cry from the international “water poverty line” of 1000 cubic meters per capita.
A number of World Bank reports have warned over the years that Morocco’s water resources per capita could drop even further by 2050 to 500 cubic meters per capita, edging closer to the international threshold of “extreme water scarcity.”
Amid such bleak predictions, the country has taken a number of measures to mitigate the effect of climate change on its water resources.
Read also: Water Management: Morocco’s Greatest Threat or Opportunity?
In particular, the Moroccan government recently launched construction work for 20 dams with a total storage capacity of 5.38 billion cubic meters. The country equally plans to inaugurate 1000 small-sized dams by 2030.
Increasing the number of dams is one focus of Morocco’s strategy to maintain water security. The country is also investing intensively in desalination projects, with three stations currently under construction. The stations have a total production capacity of over 200,000 cubic meter a day.
Regarding agriculture, the country aims to promote the adoption of irrigation grid to optimize the use of water in agriculture.
