Morocco has been hit hard by its worst drought in almost 40 years, a disaster that has raised fears of a severe shortage of drinking water this year, a consequence of climate change and inefficient water management.
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"
The country has not recorded such a situation since the beginning of the 1980s
," Abderrahim Hendouf, a specialist in water policy, told AFP.
If in the past, drought - recurrent in Morocco - mainly affected rural regions and the agricultural sector, it currently weighs on "
the supply of drinking water in urban areas
", recently warned the Minister of Equipment and 'Water, Nizar Baraka, in front of the deputies.
Long subject to climatic variations, the country has suffered a severe rainfall deficit since September 2021 and an alarming drop in dam reserves of nearly 89% compared to the annual average, according to official statistics.
This deficit is "
a worrying indicator even if it has been reabsorbed by preventive measures, in order to avoid water shortages
", acknowledged Abdelaziz Zerouali, Director of Water Research and Planning, in a television interview.
Two large cities, Marrakech (South), tourist capital, and Oujda (East), have avoided the worst by resorting since the end of December to groundwater to ensure their supply.
“Real climate change”
To contain the devastating effects of the drought, the government released in mid-February an aid program for the agricultural sector - the leading contributor to GDP (14%) ahead of tourism and industry and the main source of jobs in the middle rural - of nearly one billion euros.
But in the long term, it is “
necessary to change our vision on the question of water.
Climate change is real and we must prepare to face it
”, warned Abdelaziz Zerouali during a conference on “
the right to water
” in Rabat.
With only 600 cubic meters of water per inhabitant per year, Morocco is well below the water shortage threshold.
To compare,
Read alsoFaced with drought, Morocco releases emergency aid of one billion euros
Beyond environmental factors, "
the high demand for water
" and "
the overexploitation of groundwater
" contribute to putting pressure on water resources, underlines Minister Nizar Baraka.
In an article for the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis (MIPA), researcher Amal Ennabih estimates that water scarcity is "
deeply linked to how this resource is used for irrigation, consuming around 80% water from Morocco each year
".
A situation that is all the more alarming since only 10% of agricultural land is irrigated, notes expert Abderrahim Hendouf, who pleads for a reduction in the excessive weight of the agricultural sector in the Moroccan economy.
“Delays”
The Cherifian kingdom relies mainly on the desalination of seawater to remedy the water deficit, a polluting process because of the brine produced.
But the start of the program is facing "
delays
".
The Casablanca desalination plant is still under construction and the economic megalopolis is threatened with a water deficit from 2025. Another example: the delay in delivery of the desalination plant in the seaside resort of Saïdia (north-east) has "
caused a shortage
" in the surrounding towns, according to Nizar Baraka.
In addition, the construction of 15 dams is also delayed.
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The threat of a drinking water deficit also hung over the tourist town of Agadir, up to 70% in March compared to its needs.
A risk avoided thanks in particular to the new desalination station in this capital of the most important agricultural region of Morocco, according to official figures.
The draconian measures imposed on Agadir in the fall of 2020 - the water in the taps was cut off at night - are now just a bad memory.
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