Morocco is currently going through a period of water stress marked by two consecutive months without precipitation in several regions of the country, particularly in the center and the south. This situation seriously jeopardizes the cereal season, particularly in the Bour zones, which depend exclusively on the rains.
Abdelmoumen Guennouni, agronomist and farmer, does not hide his concern Challenge : “From the center of the country and going south, there was no rainfall, which did not encourage farmers to plow and sow, except for a few who took the risk by investing their savings. » These comments reflect the distress of operators, faced with the start of the season marked by critical deadlines that have now been exceeded.
Sowing and plowing, usually carried out between mid-November and mid-December, are significantly delayed. “Today, a third of the cereal cycle is already lost,” adds Guennouni, explaining that even if heavy rains occur soon, their impact will be limited. The soils, dried out in depth, require massive rehydration to allow crops to resume a normal cycle.
In this context of uncertainty, farmers are hesitant to invest. Seed prices have become prohibitive, with a quintal of soft wheat at around 400 dirhams and that of durum wheat exceeding 600 dirhams. “Faced with such uncertainty, it is often easier not to sow than to take the risk of losing a valuable investment,” analyzes Guennouni.
Alternatives, such as legume or fodder crops, are not more promising. The lack of rain has also affected these options, significantly reducing the possibilities for diversification. Some cornered farmers have no choice but to sell their livestock to ease feed costs, while agricultural loans, once common, are now rare. “After several years of repeated drought, even the most daring lenders are hesitant to get involved,” he explains to the same source.
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If drought is rife in the south and center, the northern regions, such as Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma, benefit from a completely different climate. The recent rains have allowed an encouraging start to sowing of cereals and sugar beets. Dams, such as Charif Al Idrissi and Chefchaouen, show satisfactory filling rates, offering optimistic prospects for irrigation.
