During this meeting, also devoted to the preparation of the next agricultural campaign, Mr. Sadiki stressed that the current campaign is taking place in a difficult climatic situation, marked by a severe water deficit.
The Minister indicated, in this regard, that the national cumulative rainfall as of July 14, 2024 is 240 mm, down 34% compared to a normal campaign (362 mm) and 3% compared to the previous campaign on the same date (247 mm), specifying that the filling rate of dams for agricultural use on a national scale is around 29% of their capacity (4,025 Mm³), compared to 30% during the previous campaign on the same date.
Given the critical water situation, irrigation from dams has been stopped in most of the large-scale hydraulic perimeters irrigated from dams, he said.
Thus, he continued, outside the Loukkos and Tafrata areas, a total of 39,000 hectares (ha), which represents 6% of the total area of the large irrigated areas, which still normally benefit from irrigation, the other large areas (550,000 ha, which represents 78% of the total area of the main irrigation districts) are subject to severe restrictions for some and the cessation of irrigation for several months, and some, for more than four years.
And to continue that the perimeter of Gharb is subject to medium to severe restrictions, the perimeters of Tadla, Haouz (Tassaout upstream and N’fis) and Moulouya and Ouarzazate (56% of the total surface area) are subject to very severe restrictions and irrigation has stopped, while those of Doukkala and Haouz (Haouz central and Tassaout downstream, Souss Massa and Tafilalet (38% of the total surface area) are subject to irrigation stoppage.
“Only 390 Mm³ are reserved for irrigation, or 10% of dams for agricultural use,” he said, stressing that his department has implemented emergency conjunctural actions to safeguard the arboricultural heritage and perennial crops, in particular through supplementary irrigation of young plantations, particularly within the framework of solidarity agriculture projects.
Furthermore, Mr. Sadiki recalled that structural actions are planned within the framework of the Generation Green 2020-2030 strategy and the national drinking water supply and irrigation program 2020-2027, in particular through the modernization of irrigation systems and the improvement of water efficiency through the development of localized irrigation, the safeguarding of groundwater resources, the implementation of seawater desalination projects and interconnection projects between hydraulic basins.
The meeting was attended by the president of the Federation of Chambers of Agriculture, the president of the Moroccan Confederation of Agriculture and Rural Development (COMADER), the presidents of the regional Chambers of Agriculture, the presidents of the interprofessional federations as well as the central and regional managers of the department.
2024-09-10 05:10:30