On the drought-stricken plains of Morocco’s Chtouka area, cherry tomato farms stretch so far as the attention can see, clinging to life by means of a single, environmentally contentious lifeline: desalination.
“We would not be right here with out it,” stated Abir Lemseffer, who manages manufacturing for the tomato big Azura.
Extreme drought pushed by local weather change has gripped the North African nation since 2018, leaving Azura’s 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of farms completely depending on desalinated water.
However the expertise comes at a excessive value — each financially and environmentally.
It’s energy-intensive, and in a rustic the place greater than half of the electrical energy nonetheless comes from coal, it carries a heavy carbon footprint.
Since 2022, Morocco’s largest desalination plant, positioned close by, has been producing 125,000 cubic metres (4.4 million cubic ft) of water a day.
The provision irrigates 12,000 hectares of farmland and gives ingesting water for 1.6 million individuals in Agadir and surrounding areas, stated Ayoub Ramdi of the regional agricultural growth workplace.
By the top of 2026, officers hope to spice up manufacturing to 400,000 cubic metres of water, half of which might be designated for agriculture.
With out that water, “a catastrophic state of affairs would loom over Morocco”, stated Rqia Bourziza, an agronomist.
Agriculture, which contributes about 12 % to Morocco’s total financial system, has been badly hit by six consecutive years of drought — prompting the nation to go all-in on desalination.
Throughout Morocco, there are 16 vegetation able to producing 270 million cubic metres of water per 12 months, with a goal of reaching 1.7 billion cubic metres by 2030.
– Expensive water –
Whereas round 1,500 farmers within the Agadir area make use of the water offered by the plant, others do not as a result of it is just too costly.
Amongst them is Hassan, who grows courgettes and peppers on half a hectare of land and makes use of water from a properly shared with 60 different farmers.
“I can not afford to make use of that water,” he stated, declining to offer his full identify.
Desalinated water is bought at $0.56 per cubic metre, excluding taxes, in contrast with $0.11 per cubic metre for typical water.
That hefty price ticket comes regardless of a 40 % subsidy from public coffers.
Ali Hatimy, one other agronomist, stated “the price of desalinated water considerably reduces the vary of potential crops as a result of solely very high-value-added crops can offset it”.
Bourziza insisted that desalination was “an excellent various” however just for high-value crops corresponding to tomatoes and orchard fruits.
Past the monetary value, desalination additionally exerts an environmental value, stated Hatimy.
“The manufacturing of desalinated water requires large quantities {of electrical} power and brine discharges impression marine ecosystems,” he stated.
Extremely concentrated brine is a byproduct of the desalination course of.
Ramdi, from the agricultural growth workplace, stated that “no impression” had been noticed within the waters round Agadir, including that the brine was diluted earlier than its launch.
Whereas Morocco has a rising share of renewable power, 62 % of its electrical energy got here from coal in 2023 and 14 % from oil and fuel, in response to the Worldwide Power Company.
– Inadequate groundwater –
The stakes within the wider area of Souss-Massa, which accounts for 85 % of Morocco’s fruit and vegetable exports, are excessive.
Almost two million tonnes are produced every year, with a turnover of $1.1 billion.
Ramdi stated the desalination plant had thus helped to guard $1 billion of income a 12 months and greater than 1,000,000 jobs.
“Desalination has saved agriculture in Chtouka,” stated Mohamed Boumarg, strolling by means of certainly one of his tomato greenhouses.
“Earlier than, I solely cultivated 5 hectares as a result of I used to be constrained by the quantity of water I had. Groundwater was not ample,” stated the 38-year-old farmer who now grows 20 hectares of tomatoes, with 60 % of his crop marked for export.
“Our survival is determined by it,” stated Lemseffer of Azura. “Both we settle for sacrificing a few of our margin by utilizing desalinated water, or we shut up store.”