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Rabat – Morocco and Japan signed today a note exchange for a loan deal worth MAD 3.9 billion ($420.104 million) to finance a hydro-agricultural development project in the southeastern area of the Gharb.
The fund aims to increase water-use efficiency and sustainably boost agricultural production over 30,000 hectares in the Gharb plain.
It covers the construction of main irrigation canals, as well as the strengthening of existing infrastructure.
The goal is to strengthen food security, expanding irrigation in th region as well as addressing growing pressure on water resources to mitigate the effects of droughts.
Morocco’s Delegate Minister for the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, signed the deal with Japan’s Ambassador to Morocco, Nakata Mashiro, as well as the General Director for the Middle East and Europe at Japan International Cooperation Agency, Toyama Kei.
The signing of th agreement comes as Morocco continues to suffer from drought and lack of rainfall. Several reports have identified the North African country as one of the most water-scarce countries worldwide.
“With a water endowment of nearly 620 cubic meters per person and per year, it is already in a situation of structural water stress,” a 2023 World Bank report said.
The water crisis exacerbates vulnerability in rural areas, especially in regards to food security.
The bank emphasized the necessity of infrastructure investment and acknowledged that current measures are not sufficient to tackle water scarcity.
