Morocco Launches Ambitious Strategies to Combat Water Stress and Ensure Food Security
Morocco has implemented “ambitious” strategies and launched multiple initiatives to address water stress and ensure food security, announced Ambassador Youssef Balla, the Kingdom’s permanent representative to UN agencies in Rome, during a meeting held Friday by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UN-Water.
In his speech, Mr. Balla emphasized that the Kingdom has adopted measures such as the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Plan 2020-2027, which has accelerated investments in the water sector. This plan includes the construction of dams, the reuse of wastewater, and water desalination, aiming to bolster the country’s water and food security. Morocco aims to produce 1.4 billion cubic meters of desalinated water by 2030 and has initiated projects to ensure a balanced redistribution of water among its regions.
The ambassador also highlighted the achievements of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute in Rabat (IAV Hassan-II), which have collaborated with African countries to develop drought-resistant cereal varieties.
Under the High Directions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has been a pioneer in launching multilateral initiatives to combat water stress, such as the Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA), which was launched during COP22 in 2016 in Marrakech.
Mr. Balla reiterated the importance of international cooperation to support these efforts in the face of increasing challenges related to climate change, the overexploitation of aquifers, and the rising demand for water in agriculture. He also raised concerns about the impact of the water crisis, highlighting that this growing pressure threatens not only the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water and sanitation access but also those linked to eradicating hunger and ensuring food security.
This meeting was part of the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Global Information System on Water and Agriculture (AQUASTAT), organized by the FAO.
