The Moroccan Desalination Strategy. a “Place” to Understand Social and Economic Changes

This proposal aims to investigate the desalination strategy implemented by the Moroccan government in the Souss Massa region to shed light on the different sectors that are impacted by it and on the multiple changes it represents. Currently, the government is developing two types of desalination technologies: 120 smaller stations to address immediate water scarcity and one large station set to begin operations in 2026. The increasing demand for water in this arid region is driven by climate change, which has intensified dryness since the 1990s, as well as political factors. The Souss Massa region is experiencing rapid growth in its tourism sector, which is physically transforming the coastline and promoting different ideas of “blue economy”. This sector is a significant water consumer, with each tourist residence estimated to require five times more water than local households. Additionally, the region is being positioned as a new agricultural hub for export-oriented production, following Morocco's strategic shift since 2008 to cater to international market demands. Historically, intensive agricultural practices have led to severe groundwater depletion and soil degradation in Morocco's most fertile areas, prompting the government to identify Souss Massa as a new area for agricultural production reliant on seawater desalination.

Building on a research on the Moroccan agricultural sector I am conducting since 2015, and on an ongoing fieldwork with a foot-fishing community (living near both to a smaller station and the future large station), I seek to explore how this desalination project is altering marine ecosystems, reshaping the relationship between local administration, local communities and the sea, and impacting access to food and fishing resources.