Morocco water crisis: 155 dams to save agriculture

The salvation of Moroccan agricultural lands will come through a tightened territorial network. To meet the vital needs of operators hit by water scarcity, the kingdom has invested in a massive program targeting small infrastructure specifically. Spanning the 2022-2027 period, this crucial plan provides for the construction of 155 small dams. The project is advancing at a particularly rapid pace: twelve of these local structures are already completed and operational, while 45 other projects are currently under construction across the country.

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This momentum will accelerate in the coming months to secure irrigation of crops in a targeted manner. Authorities plan to launch 30 additional dams by 2026, to which will be added 68 other structures currently under study for deployment in 2027. This vital network is accompanied by the simultaneous construction of four medium-sized dams. The whole initiative is part of a policy of diversifying water resources to combat drought, including notably seawater desalination and the digging of new irrigation channels.

While these small facilities are the priority for irrigating agriculture, they are supported by a large-scale national macro-strategy. The Ministry of Equipment and Water maintains its objective of building 42 major hydraulic dams by 2050. Since 2021, eight of these megastructures have already been delivered in provinces ranging from Sefrou to Guelmim, passing through Tinghir and Al Hoceïma. Currently, fourteen other colossal projects are underway, integrating both new constructions and the strategic raising of existing basins, such as the Mohammed V dams in the Oriental and Mokhtar Soussi in Taroudant.

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Proof of the absolute urgency imposed by climate, the State no longer hesitates to disrupt its own delivery schedules. Without waiting for the final completion of work, authorities have already ordered the early filling of four major dams still under construction: Sidi Abbou, Sakia El Hamra, Aït Ziat and Beni Azimane. This exceptional measure makes it possible to capture every drop of rain to immediately relieve drinking water networks and guarantee the survival of surrounding irrigated areas.