Because of its geographical location Morocco is strongly affected by climate change and is therefore highly vulnerable. Depending on the region, rain will decrease by around 10-20% in the coming years. Temperatures, in contrast, will increase by 2-3°C by 2060, 1,5-6°C by 2090 respectively, the inland being the region fastest affected. Extreme weather events like floods and droughts will also increase.

The combination of minimized water supply, strong population growth and increasing salinization of potable water will amplify the existing water scarcity in the region even further. Soil erosion will present another problem in the future, as already 75% of Morocco’s arable land were affected by erosion in 2012.

The consequences of climate change can strike Morocco hard as agriculture is a very important economic sector. Furthermore, agricultural measures that were applied until date to gain high yields in spite of drought and erosion are not sufficient.

Fès-Mèknes region offers good conditions for water management to test new procedures and technologies in a desert-like, semiarid environment. The region is characterized by diversified agricultural production systems, precipitation amounts between 330 mm in Essaouira and 1006 mm in Chefchauoen, access to irrigation and technical systems and belongs to a Moroccan development zone, that receives government incentives (Plan Maroc Vert).