Strengthening the resilience of rural communities thanks to water management

Project description

Title: Pro-poor water management for enhanced resilience in rural areas
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Morocco
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water (METLE)
Overall term: 2020 to 2024

Context

Morocco is suffering from consistent and intensifying water shortages even though there are vast regional differences concerning available water resources. Population growth, the expansion of irrigation farming and a growing number of tourists in cities are all factors that increase the demand for water considerably. In addition, climate change is exacerbating the situation because there is less rainfall and more extreme weather events are occurring.

Poorer rural communities with supply problems bear the brunt of this situation. Small farmers often do not have access to reliable water supplies for their households and agricultural land. Moreover, they are unable to repair damages inflicted by heavy rainfall or floods, which means crop losses are on the rise.

Objective

Rural communities are more resilient in the face of unstable water resources.

Approach

The project promotes:

  • Agricultural practices which conserve soil and water resources
  • Efficient use of rain and flood water
  • Structuring and extending existing databases with relevant geoinformation to improve how data is used and exchanged
  • Ensuring a stable supply of potable water during dry seasons

Water management authorities in the catchment areas of Tensift (based in Marrakesh), Guir-Ziz-Rheriss (Errachidia) and Sebou (Fez) initiate, monitor and control local processes. They work together with the respective regional ministries of agriculture. The project contributes to supporting an interdisciplinary coordination process at national level. The outcomes of this process will later be fed into the national strategy.

The cross-ministerial approach enables national and regional authorities to strengthen rural communities’ resilience concerning water. In addition, the project aims to analyse the communities’ practical experiences with protective measures for soil and water resources as well as improved water filters and storage capacities. Regional and national policies will also benefit from the project’s findings.

Last update: October 2021