What are the prospects of the drought for the agricultural world in Morocco?
Drought in general stems from water deficit and high temperatures. In the event of insufficient precipitation during the winter – as is the case in Morocco – or even in the spring, the water reserves cannot be recharged as desired and goodbye to the hydrological balance. Lack of water and high temperatures are natural causes of drought that human activity will only accentuate.
In the case, the most affected is the agricultural world. In Morocco at the start of the week, the deputies of the House of Representatives deplored in the hemicycle during the famous exercise of oral questions to the main person concerned, the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki in this case, the dramatic situation of Moroccan farmers mainly dependent on rain-fed agriculture and irrigation and therefore highly sensitive to rainfall. Our parliamentarians have even dared to gauge the risks of the obvious worsening of the situation with regard to official data.
And go ahead and let me take out the debts of small and medium-sized farmers who only know how to repay them, the rainfall which leaves itself to be desired, the very alarming filling of dams, an agricultural GDP in exponential decline like never since Morocco s is green, rising prices of fuels and cereals Ukrainian conflict obliges, those of pesticides also, cattle feed and blackberries and green pasta. In short, a fatality that only a drought can hold up to us in these times. MEPs even insisted on the implementation of an exceptional program to mitigate the impact of the rain deficit on the agricultural sector and provide assistance to the farmers and breeders concerned.
Well then ! Are we in Morocco? Yet on high royal instructions to the government and to help farmers and deal with the shortage of water resources. An envelope of 10 billion dirhams has been mobilized for this purpose as part of an emergency plan. According to our deputies, several farmers have been excluded from this program because the lists of beneficiaries have not been updated. We don't tell you, there was even talk of barley and grumbling, rescheduling of the debt of farmers, especially those small and medium-sized, in the strong expectation of a review of their debts and above all the granting of new loans with more affordable terms.
A parliamentarian denounced the laxity of the Executive and that apart from the Royal initiative and the 3 billion DH dedicated to the exceptional measures of the program, did not have the expected effects, requiring an investigation on this subject. In addition, parliamentarians have criticized the lack of government proactivity and its lack of anticipation. In short, it was a time of great criticism so much so that even the creation of the famous middle class in the agricultural sector, the Green Morocco Plan (PMV) took it for their rank. There is no denying that our representatives were surprised by the impudence and the effrontery with which they held the debate.
But no more since they did not offer anything. For his part, Mohammed Sadiki certainly recognized the seriousness of the situation but however kicked the balance sheet of the Green Morocco Plan or Green Generation 2020-2030. On the other hand, he highlighted the deployment and progress of the program last February, pulling out of his hat a few figures relating to the protection of animal and plant heritage, the management of water scarcity, the acquisition and distribution of barley and fodder, indicating that Morocco will continue to import these in order to meet demand. He cited the program, vaccination campaigns and treatment of sheep, goats and camels against diseases and reported on the smooth running of that of the agricultural insurance axis.
So much for the democratic game, which well seen and in fine, will not have brought anything concrete to appease the little miseries of the Moroccan fellah, if it is only a blablabla of circumstances which he would have gladly done without. While waiting for the recurrent drought which mainly affected only rural regions and the agricultural sector, splashes with all its splendor "the supply of drinking water in urban areas" and makes its star.
The real question of this agriculture representing more than 14% of the gross domestic product (GDP) ahead of tourism and industry and the main source of employment in rural areas, which our deputies may have omitted to ask is: will can we continue to minimize the effects of the drought on the Moroccan economy each time, launch an emergency plan to help affected farmers and not project ourselves towards less greedy agriculture?
With the rise in temperatures, the scarcity of winter precipitation and global warming, how can we not think that agriculture must adapt and implement mitigation actions and reconcile food sovereignty objectives and increased energy security, especially hydropower?
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