Improving the resilience of rural communities through better water management

Context

Morocco's current water shortage is linked to high socioeconomic development in the past decades and aggravated by the effects of climate change and the high spatial and temporal variability of water resources.

Agriculture is the main driver of economic and social development in Morocco. The sector made very significant progress in the last decades, but this came at the expense of water resources and with limited benefits for small farmers. Poor small-scale farmers lack the support they need to cope with water shortages, considerably increasing their vulnerability.

The efforts made by the Moroccan government need to be complemented in order to make sectoral strategies more harmonious and coherent with one another and to encourage a holistic response to the challenges faced by poor small-scale farmers.

Objective

The resilience of rural populations regarding water-resource variability is enhanced.

Approach

The project advises and supports different local, regional and national partners building an approach for rural resilience.

Nationally, the project supports the Ministry of Equipment and Water to improve coordination and inter-ministerial dialogue in the field of water resources.

In three regions, the project advises water basin agencies on decentralised and participatory planning to improve water management and also supports the agencies in their digitalisation process.

The project also intervenes in 9 villages (3 in each water basin) by supporting and training the local population so they can identify and implement resilient agricultural practices. Equipment is also provided to test and monitor these practices. In addition, farmer communities are assisted in fostering joint management of water resources.

Last update: June 2023