Water Sustainability and Policy in the Moroccan Context: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Perspectives

Résumé

This article addresses the theoretical challenges related to water sustainability in Morocco, adopting an approach based on the paradigms of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). It highlights several paradoxes and structural limitations within the water management system, offering theoretical recommendations based on the literature that are tailored to the country's climatic, social, and institutional contexts. One key theoretical conclusion concerns the excessive appropriation of water resources by agriculture, which accounts for up to 95% of withdrawals in some regions, despite contributing modestly to the national economy (around 13% of GDP). This dependency exposes the country to increased vulnerability due to the declining water resources, revealing a structural imbalance in water management. The article also highlights a paradox in the Green Morocco Plan. The adoption of more efficient irrigation technologies, such as drip irrigation, which is 100% subsidized, has paradoxically led to an increase in total water consumption. This phenomenon, known as the Jevons paradox, arises from the combination of increased agricultural productivity and intensified water use, particularly for export-oriented crops. The theoretical analysis further reveals that, despite the modernization of the legal framework (Law 36-15) and the adoption of IWRM, the inefficacy of reforms is linked to institutional fragmentation, poor coordination among stakeholders, and inadequate regulatory enforcement. These institutional deficits hinder sustainable water management and contribute to issues such as overexploitation of groundwater. Finally, a significant social and economic dimension emerges from the analysis, as public policies appear to favor large commercial farms over small farmers and local communities, exacerbating social inequalities. The article concludes that to ensure water sustainability in Morocco, it is essential to rethink agricultural economic incentives, improve intersectoral governance, and ensure greater social equity in water access.

Classification JEL:  Q5

Paper type: Theoretical Research