Moroccan Sahara seawater desalination agricultural development

The Agricultural Development Agency is proposing new plots intended to host agricultural projects of various sizes. In total, 35 farms are to be developed over an area exceeding 1,090 hectares.

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Selected investors will be able to operate these lands for 25 years. Contract duration can reach 40 years when projects also include industrial activity linked to agricultural production.

Beneficiaries must operate the plots directly and cannot transfer them without authorization. Rents will be reviewed periodically and will be added to connection fees as well as water costs.

Seawater to the rescue of crops

The project is based on a desalination plant responsible for supplying the water needed for irrigation. This will be distributed through drip irrigation systems to limit losses in this particularly arid region.

Water use will be reserved for agriculture. Market gardening crops must occupy the majority of exploited surfaces, with a minimum share between 70% and 75% depending on plot size.

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The system should enable sustainable agriculture development in an area where water scarcity has so far limited production possibilities. It also aims to attract long-term investments and create economic activity around agriculture, processing and hydraulic infrastructure.