Morocco is experiencing its worst drought in 30 years. Four consecutive years of insufficient rain mean Morocco's 150 reservoirs are practically running very low. Also, prices of raw materials like fuel, fertilizer, and animal feed have also soared in the past year.
Growers and livestock farmers have asked the government to intervene. The government has not yet responded to this, but the Ministry of Agriculture in Rabat is working on an emergency plan to support the farmers.
The country's buying power is also declining, so people increasingly find themselves in dire straits, especially in the mountain and remote rural areas. An Interior, Agriculture, Finance, and Water Ministerial Committee has been asked to formulate measures to alleviate the distress. These include efforts to stabilize agricultural raw material, animal feed, and energy prices.
Morocco has a diverse climate with Mediterranean and Atlantic weather to the north, and desert conditions to the south, behind the Atlas mountains. The average annual rainfall ranges from 700mm in the northwest to less than 100mm in the south.
The 150 reservoirs have a total capacity of 17.2 md M3. Currently, the general filling rate is around 34%. Last year that was 45%. However, in the country's south, the level is much lower, at 17%. Irrigated vegetable and fruit crops are particularly affected.
In 2020, Morocco had to import 60% of its grains. A rainy period in early 2021 saw some, albeit short-lived, recovery. Now that raw material prices have risen, and the drought continues, the grain outlook is not quite favorable.
Source: LNV