Moroccan government will increase water aid by $1 billion

According to the country's deputy minister, who spoke with the Finance Minister, who is in charge of the budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, the Moroccan government is drafting a decree for a budget extension of 10 billion dirhams ($1 billion) to improve the finances of various government institutions. The situation has led to the suspension of irrigation in several regions as water resources remain scarce, as confirmed by Agriculture Minister Mohamed Sadiki, who spoke about it at the MAP Forum earlier this year. 

As the effects of climate change do not seem to be diminishing in the near future, the nation has also started investing in more projects to secure water supply, such as seawater desalination. Many have also advocated smarter water use, particularly on a large scale, with some experts specifically calling for more effective irrigation techniques.

As Morocco is one of the most important exporters to Europe, the government is trying to ensure that the countryside avoids the problems of drought. Despite being crucial to the Kingdom's agricultural exports, dwindling water supplies have forced the nation to reduce subsidies for some water-intensive plants, such as avocados and watermelons.

Lekjaa said the extension will aim to address problems such as inflation and water shortages while helping the tourism industry during a meeting of the House Finance and Economic Development Committee. The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) will receive 4 billion dirhams ($400m) of the 10 billion dirhams extension, and the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Programme 2020-2027 will receive 1.5 billion dirhams ($150m). 

In addition, 1.2 billion dirhams ($120 million) will support Morocco's tourism sector roadmap, and 3.3 billion dirhams ($330 million) will be used to cover costs related to protecting citizens' purchasing power. Two of the biggest problems currently facing the country are water shortages and inflation. The nation's government was forced to take drastic measures in response to the country's shortage of rainfall, including rationing tap water earlier this year in some areas.

If there is one thing that characterises the Kingdom of Morocco, it is its efficiency and responsiveness to problems. Although the drought has worsened this year, in September 2022, the administration put in place nearly a dozen plans to mitigate the effects of climate change. 

The "Irrisat-Morocco" programme aims to provide information and models to farmers, agricultural officials, organisations in charge of managing the nation's dams and the Ministry of Agriculture to improve irrigation strategies and responsibly manage the nation's resources. Irrisat-Morocco is a dual programme designed to address two major problems currently facing the country's agriculture in North Africa. The first difficulty is to provide accurate information on plant water use.

The programme also aims to provide feedback on the effects of irrigation techniques. It is anticipated that the programme will address the problem of land degradation, a major challenge facing Moroccan agriculture as droughts become more severe and frequent, by encouraging the emergence of a data-driven irrigation strategy.

Morocco experienced its worst drought in decades, resulting in a sharp decline in agricultural production for the 2021-22 season that, together with global supply chain problems, contributed to shortages of many essential foods over the past two years. Because essential and profitable crops such as avocados and watermelons require a lot of irrigation water, the government's response to the water crisis has been radical, including the reduction of subsidies. 

In an effort to conserve resources, some Moroccan regions also experienced water rationing last year. While citizens continue to criticise government inaction due to the fact that many food necessities, such as tomatoes and red meat, are increasingly out of reach for many people in the country, food shortages have contributed to continued pressure on Moroccans' purchases. In October, the government implemented a comparable 12 billion dirham ($1 billion) extension, citing the same factors related to rising fuel and food prices.