Morocco’s recent rainfall raises hopes of ending prolonged droughts, but experts caution that sustained rains through April are needed for recovery, urging a rethinking of drought management strategies amid the challenges of climate change.
Economic expert Omar Kettani emphasized that for 2025 to be seen as a break from previous drought years, rainfall must continue into early April, as the delayed rains, while beneficial, will only help in the medium term, replenishing vital water reserves for drinking and irrigation.
This rainfall is also crucial for Morocco’s struggling livestock sector, which has been severely impacted by the drought, and predictions on whether the country can fully recover depend on whether the rains persist through April.
Kettani also called for a shift in Morocco’s long-term approach, suggesting a delay in releasing the annual budget until March to better reflect the current realities and push for investment in human resources to address future water challenges.
Between March 6 and 12, 2025, Morocco’s dams recorded over 400 million m3 in water inflows, bringing the total water reserves to 5,123 million m3, which is 884 million m3 more than the same time in 2024, signaling a positive shift.
International water resources expert Mohamed Bazza remains skeptical about Morocco’s ability to fully overcome the impacts of drought.
Bazza pointed out that while rainfall is unpredictable, the global climate crisis has made it harder to rely on past patterns, and that even strong agricultural production in 2021 was followed by declines in subsequent years due to recurring drought.
Bazza called for the government to implement a clear national framework to manage droughts, including specific criteria to assess severity, warning that Morocco is facing the lasting effects of climate change, making it unlikely to escape these challenges in the near future, even with the recent rainfall.
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