In 2009, the Moroccan Government adopted the National Water Strategy for the water sector in order to address current and future challenges. The strategy is based on three pillars: (1) satisfying the water demand in a sustainable and protective manner; (2) creating a favourable environment for long-term water resources management; (3) achieving a changed water use behaviour amongst the various users involved. In the Haouz-Mejjate basin, increasing water demand is stressing the already overused groundwater resources (currently with a chronic hydrological deficit of 105 Mm3/year). Persistent periods of drought and changing precipitation patterns resulting from climate change further aggravate the current situation.

In the framework of a national initiative to implement water management agreements (“contrats de nappes”), and with the aim of enhancing integrated water resources management (IWRM), a convention for IWRM in the Haouz-Mejjate basin will be developed. This convention will be developed with, and agreed upon by, all stakeholders involved at basin level (decision-makers, planners, managers and water users).