Morocco invested 28 billion MAD into its water sector since the launch of the “Green Generation” strategy, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, informed the Lower House on Monday.
Regarding the management of irrigation water for national agriculture, Sadiki clarified that the budget includes 8 billion MAD for localized and complementary irrigation projects and 20 billion MAD for expanding and modernizing irrigation networks, along with seawater desalination.
The Minister discussed the ongoing efforts under the Green Generation strategy, aimed at doubling water efficiency and developing sustainable agriculture.
He outlined projects designed to enhance water resources through initiatives such as water transfer and interconnected hydraulic basins, which are expected to secure approximately 3 billion cubic meters of essential water reserves for the agricultural sector.
Regarding the sustainability of solidarity agriculture projects, Sadiki stated that local committees have approved 43 projects with a total value of 83 million MAD over the past three years.
“Eight additional projects are currently under review, with a value of 11 million MAD,” he said.
Minister Sadiki addressed the challenge of declining national cereal production, highlighting the success of the direct seeding program, which currently spans 150,000 hectares and is set to expand to one million hectares.
He highlighted that 90% of the country’s cereal production is dependent on rainfall, emphasizing the vital importance of supplementary irrigation in enhancing productivity.