Field study Morocco 2003 - Tadla

Host Partner(s): Institut National pour la Recherche Agronomique du Maroc (INRA), Centre Régional de Recherche Agronomique du Tadla

Other Partners/Stakeholders: Office Régional de Mise en Valeur Agricole du Tadla (ORMVA), Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II (IAV)

Topic: Irrigation schemes

Location: Middle Atlas region, Morocco

ICRA Working Document Series number: 114

Background: Since independence, Morocco has pursued an ambition irrigation policy, based on large irrigation schemes. However the recurrent droughts of the last decades, combined with a greater demand for water in urban centres and over-exploitation of the groundwater resources by farmers, force authorities to seek better irrigation efficiency. This study aims at helping INRA’s regional centre (CRRA Tadla) to formulate a new research programme in irrigation. This is the second ICRA-INRA study in the Middle Atlas region and also the second on irrigation schemes. Like all other studies in Morocco, they aim at helping INRA evaluate its programmes and better target its activities.

Objectives: Contribute to INRA's CRRA plan to become a "pole of excellence in irrigation" as planned in INRA’s new strategy. More specific objectives were:

- A socio-economic and technical analysis of Tadla's different irrigation systems

- Formulation of more efficient models of water use for farmers

- Identification of priority action plans for development research

Outputs: Different irrigation systems are identified and analysed. Simple models of water use are proposed. A development research action plan is elaborated and validated by farmers.

Team Members:

Name	Nationality	Institute	Discipline
Zakia Abdellaoui	Algeria	ITGC Oueed Smar	Agronomy
Joachim Bonkoungou	Burkina Faso	INERA	Agro-clim, geography
Pheareak Chinh	Cambodia	Agrisud	Biology
Ali Daoudi	Algeria	INRA Algers	Economy
Zeineb El Bouchikhi	Morocco	Ministry of Agriculture	Food technology
Ibrahim Konake	Mali	GRDR Kayes	Soil Science

Reviewer: Dr Nour Sellamna (France), ICRA, FP Coordinator

ABSTRACT

Efficient water management in the large-scale irrigation schemes is the foremost challenge of Morocco’s agricultural policy. This study is the outcome of a partnership between INRA and ICRA. Its main objective is to formulate research and development priorities for INRA’s newly established irrigation programme in its Middle Atlas regional center.

The study consisted of a technical and socio-economic diagnosis of irrigation in the Tadla scheme, one of the largest in Morocco, which was designed for a gravity irrigation system which lasts until today. Efforts at modernizing it by improving its efficiency face many technical, social and economic constraints.

Farming systems in Tadla are based on field crops whose economic profitability do not favour investment. Land tenure is dominated by small farms under a strongly constraining legal status of in division. Information on new irrigation techniques is insufficient and access to credit, both public and private, is difficult for some types of farmers. These represent the main constraints to change in the present irrigation system.

Scenario planning involving professionals working in the field of irrigation resulted in an action plan for research and development. It aims at alleviating present constraints to adoption of new, more efficient, irrigation techniques as well as future potential constraints derived from scenario planning.

KEY WORDS: Morocco, Tadla, irrigation, efficiency, irrigation scheme.