Public Policies for Underground Water Preservation between Ecological Constraints, Economic Needs, and Cultural Resistance: Mejjate Commune As a Case Study
Hakim Assissou, Driss Benlarbi et Mustapha Merizak
Morocco has adopted a liberal economic policy for the agricultural sector. Agriculture is thus oriented towards the international market for agricultural products, which drives farmers to overexploit underground water to maximize yields for export. The expansion of large-scale farming in addition to the growing needs of family agriculture have significantly impacted the availability of groundwater. In response, the state has taken measures to address water shortages by constructing more large-scale dams to protect this natural resource. These dams are designed to store large quantities of water for various purposes, a portion of which will be allocated to irrigate farms downstream. The construction of the M'DEZ dam aims to store substantial water reserves to irrigate agricultural plots in the Mejjate commune. After identifying the farmers affected in the Saïs plain, public authorities plan to raise awareness among them to integrate into the groundwater sustainability project, emphasizing the strategic importance of groundwater as a resource that must be protected. The water resources in the dam will be made available for irrigation in exchange for the farmers' commitment to preserving underground water. This participatory approach is being implemented in a social climate of distrust between public actors and the local population, which remains attached to its ancestral culture and traditional methods of managing natural resources, particularly water. Through participant observation and in-depth interviews with farmers, local development agents, and representatives of directly involved organizations, we seek to grasp the dynamics of the relationship between public authorities and farmers as well as the impact on the nature and quality of social ties that develop in this context.
Keywords: Underground water, agricultural policy, water management, participatory approach