Water Scarcity: 90% of Wells in Morocco Are Unauthorized

Rabat – There are currently 372,000 wells in Morocco, 90% of which are unauthorized, Water and Logistics Minister Nizar Baraka said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the House of Councilors, Baraka explained that his ministry is working to preserve water resources in the country amid the ongoing water crisis that has gripped the country in the past years, and which is a direct result of climate change.

The minister explained that his department has taken measures to restore water resources by using water stored at dams, among other measures.

He further added that the ministry has made significant strides in accounting for water resources used in agriculture with the goal of optimizing water usage.

The government has also stimulated the use of irrigation, with the aim of reaching one million hectares by 2030. In addition, the ministry is reviewing the types of crops cultivated across Morocco to ensure their compatibility with the soil.

Water scarcity in Morocco

Water scarcity is emerging as a major challenge to Morocco’s socio-economic development. Demographic pressure and agricultural production are straining the country’s dwindling water resources.

Data suggests that agriculture alone accounts for 88% of water consumption in the country.

The North African country is on the World Bank’s list of countries with the lowest water resources per capita. In 2015, the average water resources per capita in Morocco stood at 645 cubic meters, well below the international “water poverty line” of 1000 cubic meters per capita.

The country’s water resources are expected to plummet even further by the year 2050, to 500 cubic meters per capita, nearing the international threshold of “extreme water scarcity.”

Amid growing concerns over water resources in the country, Morocco’s agriculture ministry announced in September 2022 it is ending irrigation subsidies on the cultivation of a number of water-intensive crops including avocado, watermelon, and citrus fruit.

Last year’s severe drought exhausted the reserves from Moroccan dams, as filling rates dropped to a record five-year low. The country is historically no stranger to droughts. However, acute climate change has caused droughts to increase in both frequency and severity.

Meanwhile, the scarcity of water has pushed several regions in Morocco to take extreme measures such as water rationing and banning the use of drinking water to water public gardens, among other measures.

To address this challenge, the country has placed the issue as a cornerstone of state strategic goals in recent years. Under a 2020-2050 plan, the country is allocating MAD 383 billion ($37.6 billion) over a period of 30 years to boost the national water grids for domestic uses and for agriculture. The plan also covers measures to protect the water supply from climate threats.