Profitable crops, but water-intensive
Moroccan agricultural exports have reached record levels, exceeding40 billion dirhams in 2024.
However, the prioritization of crops withhigh market value— particularlyavocados, berries, melons andcitrus fruits— comes at a cost: ahigh water consumption, often concentrated in areas already facing water stress, such as theSouss, theHaouz or theLoukkos.
According to several experts, producing one kilogram of avocados requires up to1,000 liters of water, equivalent to several days of domestic consumption for a rural household.
Strain on aquifers
Farmers, encouraged by international demand and export margins, are drilling more wells to irrigate their plantations.
The result: some aquifers are declining by several meters each year, leading toslow but steady desertification..
In Souss-Massa, authorities have already implementedrestrictions on new wells and the planting of avocado trees, as drought persists for the fifth consecutive year.
An agricultural model to rebalance
Morocco has made the agricultural sector akey economic pillar, employing nearly40% of the workforce and contributing to13% of national GDP..
But experts are now calling for arebalancing between profitability and sustainability, particularly through:
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the widespread adoption of drip irrigation,
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the promotion of local crops with low water needs,
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and encouraging the transition to processed agri-food sectors..
Exports under scrutiny
The European Union—the main market for Moroccan fruits—begins to requireenvironmental guarantees in supply chains.
This pressure is pushing Moroccan exporters to adoptsustainable labels (GlobalG.A.P., SMETA, organic certifications) to maintain their market share.
Some pioneering cooperatives in Larache and Agadir are already investing insmart irrigation systems, capable of real-time water needs measurement to prevent waste.
Towards more resilient agriculture
In the face of climate challenges, Morocco must reconcile economic performance with resource preservation.
The Green Generation Plan (2020–2030) encourages modernization of the sector, but its success will depend on the ability toenforce quotas, regulate risky crops and value more sustainable local productions..
Solutions exist: agronomic research, water-saving technologies, artificial intelligence for irrigation, and above all, better awareness among farmers.
Conclusion
Moroccan agriculture stands at a crossroads.
High-value crops have showcased 'made in Morocco' internationally, but they ultimately threaten the country's ecological balance.
The question is no longer about producing more, but about producing better, with agricultural models capable of nourishing without depleting.