Desalination Efforts: Agricultural Water Reserves in Morocco Reach 26%

Rabat – Morocco’s agricultural dams currently hold 3.71 billion m³ of water which stands for a filling rate of 26%, according to Ahmed El Bouari, Minister of Agriculture.

The minister provided this update during Monday’s parliamentary session.

El Bouari explained that 70% of these water reserves are concentrated in the Sebou and Loukkos basins. He added that 722 million m³ of this water has been allocated to support large-scale irrigation zones.

Irrigation activities are underway in Loukkos, Gharb, Moulouya, Tafilalet, and Ouarzazate, though the Tadla region is operating at reduced levels.

These efforts currently cover 52% of Morocco’s irrigated agricultural land. However, areas such as Doukkalal, Al Haouz, and Souss-Massa remain dependent on increased dam reserves to establish their irrigation programs.

The government introduced some measures to tackle water scarcity in irrigated regions to optimize water use and guarantee the success of the current agricultural season, El Bouari said.

Focus on desalination projects

He pointed to Morocco’s efforts to accelerate seawater desalination projects. This initiative looks to produce over 1.7 billion m³ of desalinated water by 20230 to support coastal cities and ease the strain on traditional water sources, which can be redirected to agriculture.

One of the key projects, the Dakhla desalination plant, which boasts an annual capacity of 37 million m³, has reached 70% completion. According to the minister, another plant under construction in Casablanca will provide 300 million m³ annually, of which 50 million m³ will be dedicated to irrigation.

Plans for new facilities

El Bouari detailed future desalination projects across several regions, including:

– A 300 million m³ facility in the Oriental region, with 160 million m³ allocated to agriculture.

– A 150 million m³ facility in Tangier.

– A 300 million m³ facility in Rabat.

– Facilities in Oum Er-Rbia and Tensift, each producing 300 million m³ for irrigation.

– A large-scale plant in Souss-Massa with a capacity of 350 million m³, of which 250 million m³ will support agriculture.

Additional medium-sized desalination stations are planned for Boujdour, Tan-Tan, and nearby areas.

Improving water transfers

El Bouari commended the swift progress on projects connecting major water basins. Within ten months, Morocco completed a critical phase linking the Sebou and Bouregreg basins, enabling the transfer of over 580 million m³ annually.

The project connecting Oued El Makhazine and Dar Khrofa dams is also nearing completion. This initiative will provide an annual supply of 100 million m³ and irrigate 21,000 hectares in Dar Khrofa.

These efforts tell Morocco’s determination to address the ongoing water crisis while safeguarding agricultural productivity and ensuring sustainable water management.