HM the King enquires about economizing water programme in irrigated areas in Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz

PERSISMA, Rural commune of Saâda (Marrakech) – HM King Mohammed VI enquired, on Thursday in the rural commune of Saâda (province of Marrakech), about the economizing water project in irrigated areas in the Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region, carried out with a budget of about 6.5 billion dirhams.

– The programme concerns 97,300 ha and benefits 25,000 farmers

– The programme will contribute to developing modern high value-added agriculture

– HM the King launches project of reconversion into drip irrigation

The wide-ranging programme, which benefits 25,000 farmers, consists of reconverting traditional irrigation systems into drip irrigation on a surface area of 97,300 hectares.

The programme, which is being carried out as part of Morocco’s Green Plan, will contribute to developing modern high value-added agriculture, while enhancing rational, sustainable management of water resources.

It is expected to raise irrigation efficiency from 50% to 90% and increase the production value per hectare from 19,000 dirhams to 42,000 dirhams yearly, thus improving farmers’ income.

On this occasion, HM the King launched the reconversion project into drip irrigation in a sector falling within the scope of the first phase of the water economizing project.

Worth 260 million dirhams, the project concerns a total area of 4,300 hectares and is to benefit 2,000 farmers.

It consists of building a water irrigation station, setting up 146 kilometres of pressure conduits and outfitting farms with drip irrigation material.

The project, which is due for completion in 2013, will raise production value per hectare from 19,000 dirhams to 45,000 dirhams a year