Morocco’s livestock population has fallen by 38% in the past nine years due to ongoing drought, Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari said on Thursday. The country has suffered six consecutive years of severe drought, affecting water reserves and agricultural employment and prompting an accelerated effort to develop desalination projects.
El Bouari reported that rainfall this year was 53% below the 30-year average, putting pressure on pastures and reducing meat production. Morocco has increased beef and red meat imports to meet demand.
Government Measures to Stabilize Prices
Morocco’s 2025 budget abolishes import duties and VAT on cattle, sheep, camels and red meat to counter rising prices. The country has imported 124,000 sheep, 21,000 cattle and 704 tonnes of red meat so far this year.
Meanwhile, the country’s water reserves remain critically low. Irrigation dams in key agricultural regions such as Doukala and Souss-Massa are at just 2% and 15% of capacity respectively, while the overall national dam occupancy rate has fallen to 26%. Authorities have prioritised supplying drinking water for urban areas over agricultural use.
Cereal Production Depends on Rainfall
Despite the challenges, the area under staple crops such as soft wheat, hard wheat and barley has increased to 2.6 million hectares from 2.4 million hectares last year. However, the final wheat harvest will depend on rainfall until March. Last year’s drought reduced Morocco’s grain production to 3.1 million tonnes, down 43% from the previous year.
As Morocco grapples with climate challenges, ongoing drought highlights the urgent need for water management solutions and agricultural adaptation strategies.