2024-07-21 20:33:09
During this meeting, which took place in the presence of the governor of the province of Nador, Jamal Chaarani, the presidents of the Chamber of Agriculture of the Oriental and the Moroccan Confederation of Agriculture and Rural Development, with the participation of farmers from the irrigated area of Moulouya, professionals, elected officials and several officials from the ministry, the emphasis was placed on the structuring projects for securing irrigation water resources for Moulouya, particularly the Nador seawater desalination project.
It is also about informing and raising awareness among farmers and professional organizations about the issues and the interest of this project which helps to strengthen the resilience of agriculture in the region and the preservation of soil and water resources.
This public-private partnership project is part of the national program for the supply of drinking water and irrigation 2020-2027, developed in accordance with the High Royal Guidelines, to manage the problem of the scarcity of water resources.
Similarly, it aims to secure the region’s drinking water supply, sustain investments and strengthen water resources for irrigation in the Moulouya area. It will allow the irrigation of high value-added crops and offer promising prospects for more productive, competitive and sustainable irrigated agriculture in the region.
The long-term capacity of the future Oriental desalination plant is 250 million m3 (Mm3)/year, of which 140 Mm3 is intended for drinking water and 110 Mm3 for the irrigation of nearly 30,000 ha, both in existing irrigated areas and for the development of areas extending irrigated areas in the area.
In a statement to the press, Mr. Sadiki indicated that this meeting is intended to be an opportunity to exchange with farmers and professionals in the Oriental region, particularly at the level of the irrigated area of Moulouya, with a view to thinking of adequate solutions concerning the problem of water and irrigation water, as well as the acceleration of structuring projects relating to the economical management of water resources.
In this regard, the Minister highlighted the importance of the Nador seawater desalination project as an effective means of combating water stress in the Oriental region, which has been given priority in this area.
“The objective is to irrigate 30,000 ha by desalination of the sea in the Moulouya basin, particularly in the provinces of Nador, Berkane and Driouch,” he explained, emphasizing the involvement of all professionals and farmers in this project, and the acceleration of its implementation.
Irrigated agriculture in the Moulouya area, the main provider of wealth and jobs in the Region, is experiencing structural water deficits, due to the combined effect of climate change and competition for water between agriculture and the large cities of the Region, threatening the sustainability of irrigated agriculture in this area.
To address the scarcity of conventional water resources in the region and to preserve the achievements of irrigated agriculture in the lower Moulouya area, the public authorities have implemented structural solutions aimed at strengthening and diversifying the water supply and rationalizing water use.
These include, in particular, the raising of the Mohamed V dam for better regulation of surface water resources, the desalination of sea water to strengthen and diversify the water supply, the disconnection and modernization of drinking water supply systems from irrigation canals to reduce water losses, the modernization of irrigation networks and the massive conversion to localized irrigation to save water and improve agricultural productivity.
It should be noted that the Oriental region is mainly supplied by the Mohamed V – Mechraâ Hammadi dam complex, which is part of the Moulouya basin. This complex is used to supply drinking water to the region as well as to irrigate large agricultural areas in the lower Moulouya, covering more than 69,000 ha.
2024-07-21 20:33:09