Environmental Issues in Morocco

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                     Environmental Issues in Morocco

There are several environmental issues that Morocco is combating. One of the most pressing issues is the degradation of land. This issue is remains high on the international agenda since Morocco isn’t the only country experiencing this problem. The leading cause of land degradation is human and livestock activity. Overgrazing, pollution, and the removal of natural vegetation are the causes for soil to become unusable. Unusable land has a serious impact on the economy and the livelihood of the many farmers and herders who occupy the region. The productivity of some of the land has declined by 50% due to erosion of the soil .

	Morocco first received a plea for aid from sheep herders in 1986. Many citizens who depend on the land were finding themselves in a terrible predicament since they could no longer use a majority of their land. Mr. Demanati, the Minister of Agriculture at the time, told the herders they would have to first organize themselves before receiving help from the government. After the herders became organized, the government stepped in and regulated the use of essential grasslands . 

Droughts have been a major issue in Morocco since the 1970s. Economists expect the drought will cut by roughly 40% agriculture share of GDP. It will also cost the government roughly $240 million to help the farmers and herders. Agriculture provides an income for 40 percent of Morocco's 30 million people.

To combat this problem, the government devised a plan in 2005 to modernize agriculture. This will help to focus on ways to rationalize the use of scarce water resources and replacing large amounts of land typically used for cereals with olive oil and other fruit trees, which use less water.

The supply of water is an issue when a region undergoes a drought. Officials have stated that the water supply in Morocco will not be impacted by the droughts. The country has enough drinkable water to sustain the population. In 2002, The OPEC Fund for International Development loaned Morocco $15 Million to help finance their water supply project. The project will help to combat water shortages along the coastal area between Casablanca and Rabat. Morocco is also funding the raising of a dam and the installation of a 42 km long spillway. This will in turn double the current storage capacity.

To add to the problem, many of Morocco’s water supplies are polluted. This is typically caused by the erosion of the soil and also human waste. Projects are currently in place to help farmers develop different farming habits to prevent further pollution.

References:

 “Land Degradation, an Overview,” NRSC, US Dept. of Agriculture <http://soils.usda.gov/use/worldsoils/papers/land-degradation-overview.html>
 “Morocco Case Study,” Khalid El Harizi , <http://srdis.ciesin.org/cases/morocco-001.html>
 “Moroccans Secure Precious Resources,” USAID, <http://www.usaid.gov/stories/morocco/fp_morocco_environ.html>