Rabat – In an attempt to ration water resources, the Moroccan Agriculture, Maritime, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests Ministry announced this month launching the Sustainability and Durability Program for Irrigation Water (REDI).
Presented on January 20, the program extends to the Tadla, Casablanca-Settat, and Souss-Massa regions.
Through the program, the ministry aims to enhance water management, boost irrigation, and provide farmers with the technical know-how and equipment to enhance productivity.
Under the program, the ministry pledges to install a new irrigation infrastructure in the Tadla region as well as upgrade the existing grid.
The ministry further plans to use subcontractors to install equipment to enhance water management and monitor the implementation of the program.
As to the Souss-Massa region, the ministry will renovate the regions’ main pumping station, the pumping canal.
The World Bank is set to finance the program following an agreement between the global banking institution and the Moroccan government.
The ministry revealed that the REDI program will cover 18,000 hectares of agricultural land.
20% of Morocco’s arable lands were equipped for irrigation in 2018, according to the Malabo Montpellier Panel, an international platform for agriculture experts. Since 2018, the Moroccan government has shown a strong political will to expand irrigation grids across the North African country.
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Already suffering from water scarcity, Morocco’s water resources are under severe strain due to climate-aggravated drought and overexploitation.
35% of Morocco’s population will be living way below the UN water scarcity threshold by 2025, according to estimates by the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs.
With its water-dependent agriculture, droughts affect a staggering 51.1% of the population, specifies the UN.
Amid such bleak predictions, Morocco has been capitalizing on innovation to fend off the rising threat of water scarcity.
This year, researchers at Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnique University are using big data to optimize productivity and water rationing. Moroccan startups with innovative solutions are also helping smart agriculture gain momentum.
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